It is almost impossible to go through an entire day without being told by some advertisement that you must supplement your diet with someform of antioxidant, whether this be a breakfast cereal that has been fortified, a new fruit juice that has more antioxidants per glass than atraditional fruit juice, or even shampoo that has been enriched with antioxidants. We all seem to accept this premise without paying too much attention to exactly what antioxidants are and what they do –especially with respect to exercise. This article will review the current data regarding antioxidant supplementation in the sporting environmentand produce general guidelines as to its optimal application.