The evidence is increasing that free radical reactions are implicated in the development of cell damage and degenerative disease. Results of animal and human studies have demonstrated that vitamin E and the other antioxidants have a significant role in preventing or minimizing peroxidation damage in biological systems. As we await results of additional human studies, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that adequate antioxidant defense by vitamin E and the other antioxidants can provide protection from the increasingly high levels of free radicals present in the environment due to current lifestyles and the rising concentration of environmental pollutants.