Data on the protective role of antioxidants in models of atherosclerosis are only partially confirmed in man. Observational and epidemiological data, as well as randomized trials, provide no clear cut indications, because of positive and disappointing results on the use of antioxidants in cardiovascular protection. Despite the lack of a general consensus, recent data reinforce the concept that the regular intake of antioxidants present in food limits the progression of atherosclerosis. When it is possible to monitor the efficacy of any antioxidant therapy with validated markers of oxidation, the potential influence of vitamins and antioxidants on coronary artery disease may eventually be resolved. Curr Opin Lipidol 9:541–549. © 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins