What Do We Know About Anti-Oxidants?

New Scientist has a long post about the increased popularity of anti-oxidant supplements and the lack of actual research demonstrating their effectiveness. The author claims that most anti-oxidants have not held up in rigorous clinical tests, and therefore should not be treated as magic pills that will extend our lives. I would argue that the real appeal of anti-oxidants is their ease of use. Instead of changing eating or exercise habits, people can simply pop a pill and feel good about their health.