Antioxidants Network

Tocotrienols

Tocotrienols, the special form of vitamin E found in the ce
real brans, are cousins of tocopherols, the better-known members of the vitamin E family.

Studies of tocotrienols have illuminated their potential in preventing and treating conditions such as:

Atherosclerosis.

High cholesterol levels.

Reducing levels of thromboxane A2, a clotting factor that is a risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Inhibiting the growth of several human breast cancer cell lines in vitro.

Protection against liver cancers, and some other cancers.

They are active constituents of the antioxidant network, because they are mobile within membranes and are easily recycled by the antioxidant network. In my lab, we have shown that tocotrienols distribute evenly through biological membranes, whereas tocopherols tend to cluster in islands. In experimental models, tocotrienols are 40 to 60 times more readily recycled in membrane systems than tocopherols.

Tocotrienols have the same basic functions as tocopherols but are a different shape. This difference appears to confer on them some very special qualities over and above their antioxidant function.

In a four year study of New Yorkers with severe carotid stenosis, the risk factor for strokes, patients whose neck arteries were 20-80% blocked with plaque were randomized into a treatment group which received tocotrienols, and a control group which received placebos. Ninety-four percent of the patients receiving tocotrienols improved or stabilized, whereas none of the controls improved and over half got worse.

Tocotrienols are preferentially accumulated in the skin and may also have an important function in protecting it against the aging effects of ozone and ultraviolet light.

A vitamin E supplement should confer the range of benefits available from all the vitamin e isomers, taking into account both their antioxidant potency and their metabolic benefits.

Alpha-tocopherol, (the best-known and most studied form of vitamin E), has impressive credentials. Researchers at Jean Mayer, USDA Human Nutrition Center at Tufts University, have proved that alpha-tocopherol stimulates the immune systems of older subjects, helping them keep illness at bay. In a retrospective study, The National Institute of Aging reported that amongst 11,798 people aged 65 and over, those who took alpha-tocopherol supplements were 40% less likely to have died from cancer or heart disease.

Ubiquinone or CoQ10, recycles tocopherols and tocotrienols in the antioxidant network and is important in its own right in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, particularly for those taking statins or suffering from heart failure.

Alpha-tocopherol is vitally important in protecting LDL particles in the blood stream, but the other natural forms of vitamin E, especially tocotrienols and gamma-tocopherol, have important metabolic functions. Including them in vitamin E supplements helps to restore the natural balance of vitamin E isomers which have been lost to the food supply by industrial processing methods.

Information and statements regarding dietary supplements herein has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nor is it meant to substitute for the advice provided by your health care provider. The efficacy of antioxidant supplementation for children and during pregnancy is not established . If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, please contact your physician.