Long-term supplementation with dietary antioxidants（抗氧化剂） has beneficial effects on sugar and fat metabolism¹（脂肪代谢） , blood pressure and arterial（动脉的） flexibility²（灵活性，弹性） in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism report these positive results in a randomized controlled trial of combined vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme（辅酶） Q10 and selenium（硒） capsules. Reuven Zimlichman worked with a team of researchers from Wolfson Medical Center, Israel, to carry out the study in 70 patients from the centre's hypertension clinic. He said, "Antioxidant supplementation significantly increased large and small artery⁴ elasticity⁶ in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This beneficial vascular³ effect was associated with an improvement in glucose⁷（葡萄糖） and lipid metabolism（类脂物代谢作用） as well as significant decrease in blood pressure".

Previous results from clinical trials into the cardiovascular health effects of antioxidants have been equivocal（模棱两可的） . In order to shed more light onto the matter, Zimlichman and his colleagues randomised the 70 patients to receive either antioxidants or placebo⁸（安慰剂，对照剂） capsules for six months. Tests at the beginning of the trial, after three months and at the six month mark revealed that the patients in the antioxidant group had more elastic⁵ arteries⁹ (a measure of increased cardiovascular health) and better blood sugar and cholesterol¹⁰（胆固醇） profiles. According to Zimlichman, "The findings of the present study justify¹¹ investigating the overall clinical impact of antioxidant treatment in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors".