Exploring the Role of Antioxidants and Reducing Agents in Redox Reactions

[Stephanus]

Dear PF Forum,
Lately, I'm trying to understand the benefits of antioxidant.
What is the difference between antioxidant and reducing agents?

1. Reducing agent react with (reduce) oxidizing agent to CREATE NEW molecule(s)?
2. Antioxidant reduces the oxidizing agent so it has an additional(s) electron, so the oxidizing agent is somewhat stable?
3. So both reducing agent and antioxidante REDUCE something else?
4. But reducing agent create a new molecule, while antioxidant just PREVENTS the oxidizing agent to become reactive but don't create new molecule(s)?
Are those the idea?

Thank you very much.
Whether it's right or wrong, so I know I'm on the right track or at least I know where I stand.

 

[Borek]

Reducing agent react with (reduce) oxidizing agent to CREATE NEW molecule(s)?

Always. Antioxidant does exactly the same.

I believe the idea behind antioxidants is that they reduce the oxidizing agent before it can react with something else (that is: before it damages something else) and the reaction products are still safe. But the general chemistry of a redox reaction (electron transfer and new products being made) is always the same.