To understand if Antioxidants are beneficial for runners there are first a few concepts that must be addressed. To begin the term free radicals needs to be defined, free radicals are atoms or group of atoms that consist of an unpaired electron, this being the key factor, which causes the compound to be highly reactive. (2) In general free radicals are known to support helpful oxidation, which produces energy and defends against bacterial infections. (4) In surplus the oxidation that they produce is hazardous and will lead to the damage of body tissues such as cell membranes.(2) Oxygen is a very reactive substance, which is essential to human life, and is the leading reason why and how these free radicals react the way they do. Oxygen is the root problem at hand it all starts with oxygen, the human body uses oxygen to make food into energy this process is known as oxygenation. (2) It has been studied that people who have diets that are abundant in fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants, have a much lower chance of cardiovascular disease.(4) Antioxidants also work to prevent some cancers. Free radicals are formed by exposure to things such as tobacco smoke, alcohol, heavy metals, radiation, and other hazardous chemicals. (1) A major problem and epidemic that has plagued American society and many people for sometime now, which is especially relevant and making head way in news headlines is the numerous fad diets that have been emerging as of late is America's problem with dieting and the high amounts of fats being consumed. Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body from these reactions from occurring, by interfering with the oxidative process. (3) They are directly related to the prevention of cellular damage, which leads to the diseases mentioned above. (3) The main function of antioxidants in preventing free radicals is they reduce the energy that free radicals produce or stop them from forming in the first...