A palm reading that's fruitful?

Is there a reliable way to check my antioxidant levels? A laser scan said I was running low.

GAIL L.

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The products: When a fender oxidizes, it's called "rust." In your body, oxidation plays a key role in aging and disease. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta carotene can offer protection, but you may wonder if you have enough to keep the rust away. If you're concerned -- or just curious -- you can always try a high-tech palm reading.

Just stick your hand in a BioPhotonic Scanner, a laser device that will scan your skin for carotenoids, antioxidant pigments found in colorful fruits and vegetables. The tally is then translated into a "Body Defense Score." Doctors, chiropractors, nutritionists, personal trainers and a few doctors across the country offer carotenoid scans as part of their services, often at little or no cost to customers. According to Kara Schneck, spokeswoman for Pharmanex, the company that manufactures the scanner, more than 5 million people worldwide have already been scanned. Pharmanex markets an antioxidant supplement to help people boost their scores.

The scanner isn't the only antioxidant gauge out there: You can also order an antioxidant testing kit over the Internet. For about $60, you'll get a small plastic test tube and a prepaid envelope -- the standard equipment for sending urine by mail. Lab technicians will check your urine for signs of oxidative damage and send you a report.

The claims: Marketers make it sound as if your antioxidant score is a vital sign in the same league as blood pressure. A Pharmanex website calls the BioPhotonic Scanner the "dietary assessment of the future" to be used by "anyone who is mindful of his or her current health." Schneck says the scanner "helps people make well-informed choices about nutrition."

Antioxidant test kits claim to promote "optimal wellness and optimum nutrition." And they offer the chance to avoid disaster: "If your antioxidant status is low and is allowed to go undetected, it could seriously affect your health and performance," one site warns.

Bottom line: It may sound farfetched, but a laser scan of your palm really can detect antioxidants, says Ronald Prior, a nutritionist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Little Rock, Ark. The antioxidant carotenoids that add color to many fruits and vegetables will also add color to your skin, and the laser can measure the subtle hues. (Or not so subtle: Eat a pound of carrots every day for a week and your skin will turn orange.)