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Vitamin E – Real Family or Just Cousins?

Very recently, some of the most exciting news in the field of nutrition has been centered on the amazing properties of the vitamin E family of nutrients. Most of us already know that vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that is essential for the health and well-being of our entire body, especially our skin, hair and nails. But did you know that some members of the vitamin E family can actually lower cholesterol, may inhibit the growth of certain cancers, and can help manage diabetes? These amazing forms of vitamin E are known as tocotrienols. Researchers like Dr. Barrie Tan have devoted many hours into exploring the unique propeties of these lesser-known molecules. Although tocotrienols are quite similar to tocopherols (the most common form of vitamin E and the form one encounters most frequently in supplements), there are some important chemical differences between them that illustrate how they can have such different effects on our health. These differences also raise the question of how close a “family” the two forms are, despite the marketing convenience of grouping them in the same “house.”

Tocotrienols and tocopherols have most of their chemical structure in common except for a few important differences. Tocotrienols have an unsaturated side-chain in the “tail” of the molecule that makes them more flexible and better able to move about our body(1). Dr. Tan likes to think of both molecules as the “policemen” of the body since both tocotrienols and tocopherols are powerful antioxidants that attack free radicals throughout the body.  However, tocopherols are more like local policeman where as tocotrienols are more like state troopers. This is because tocopherol molecules, with their longer, stiffer tails, are much less mobile in the cell membranes of our body, much like the local policeman whose “jurisdiction is confined to the town boundaries.”  Tocotrienols, on the other hand, with their shorter, more flexible tails, are more like state troopers, since they are “anchored less deeply” in our cell membranes and are subsequently able to “hunt down free radicals across a much larger area.(2) It is this mobility that makes tocotrienols 50 times more potent as antioxidants than tocopherols. (3)

It is important to keep these differences in mind when considering supplementation with either tocotrienols or tocopherols. Although they have much in common, they are different molecules and operate differently in our bodies. They do not work together, and one form is not a replacement for the other form! As a matter of fact, tocotrienols and tocopherols cannot and should not be taken together. Research was done at the University of Wisconsin that illustrated this fact clearly. Not only do tocopherols decrease our body’s ability to absorb tocotrienols, they also cause tocotrienols in our body to breakdown much more quickly. Tocopherols also increase cholesterol production in the body.(4)  This means that the two should never be taken together. Tocopherols are best taken in the morning and tocotrienols are the best taken in the evening, with dinner. As Dr. Tan says, “although both tocopherol and tocotrienol are antioxidants, tocotrienol alone has the added benefits of cholesterol reduction, tryglyceride reduction and anti-cancer properties. Consumers… need to be aware that  alpha-tocopherol interferes with tocotrienol benefits, and that the two should be taken apart.”(5) Art Bartunek here at BCN is quick to note that alpha-tocopherol also requires adequate gamma-tocopherol and coQ10 to maintain its antioxidant status. Otherwise it becomes pro-oxidant. This is one of the main reasons why we hear conflicting reports on the benefits of “vitamin E” in popular literature. To compare at a glance:

Health Benefits of Tocopherols vs. Tocotrienols

Now let’s explore in more detail these incredible benefits that tocotrienols are getting a lot of attention for. Tocotrienols provide our body with a wide variety of health benefits including protection against free radicals and assistance with lowering cholesterol, controlling diabetes, and treating cancer.  And, as mentioned above, these last three benefits are the thing that sets tocotrienols apart from the other “tocopherol cousins” of the vitamin E family.

Firstly, tocotrienols are able to lower cholesterol production without affecting the production of other proteins and intermediaries in the body. This means that tocotrienols reduce cholesterol synthesis without harmful and unwanted side effects. Compare this to the behavior of statin drugs. Statin drugs, designed to lower cholesterol levels in the body, do so by inhibiting the enzyme which triggers the chain of cholesterol production. This same mechanism also severely lowers coenzyme Q10 production. While this does indeed lower LDL cholesterol levels in the body, it does not take into account that the chain of cholesterol production also produces important proteins, enzymes and coenzymes in the body. By preventing this chain from being carried through, statin drugs prevent these proteins and enzymes from being manufactured which can lead to serious long-term health issues, inculding severely decreased levels of coQ10. Red Rice yeast, polycosanols and modified citrus pectin, among other cholesterol-lowering supplements, all share the same side-effects as Statin drugs for this reason. Tocotrienols, on the other hand, work much further “downstream” in the chain of cholesterol production to naturally dial down cholesterol levels without effecting the production of any of these other proteins.(6) Tocotrienols also seem to actually increase levels of coQ10 in the body(7), and decrease plaque formation, stroke risk and blood pressure.(8)

Tocotrienols also have an amazing ability to both treat and protect against certain types of cancers. Studies have shown that by effecting the production of cholesterol (as explained above) in the body, tocotrienols are able to initiate cell death of cancer cells by operating similarly on their cholesterol-producing mechanisms. Tocotrienols also inhibit the proliferation of tumors by impeding their ability to grow new blood vessels from nearby arteries (a process known as angiogenesis) in order to feed themselves. Tocotrienols are remarkably anti-angiogenic and this may enable them to “starve the tumor to death.” Since increased nutrients are essential to tumor growth, in many ways it can be said that tocotrienols, through their anti-angiogenic properties, may possibly prevent cancer metastasis.  Additionally, the superior antioxidant properties of tocotrienols may reduce the kind of DNA damage believed to increase the risk of cancer as well as strengthen the immune system to better fight inflammation and tumors. (9)

Tocotrienols are also important for reducing tryglyceride levels and diabetes risk.  This makes tocotrienols of incredible importance for diabetics and prediabetics. In several animal studies using tocotrienols, researchers saw increased insulin sensitivity as well as lower tryglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels. Clinical studies with diabetics and patients with meatbolic syndrome saw tocotrienols reducing the symptoms associated with each disease as well as increasing insulin levels and reducing hyperglycemia and hyperlipiemia.(10)

In order to obtain the awesome health benefits of tocotrienols, it is essential, of course, that one takes the very best and purest tocotrienol supplement (and NEVER in the same product as tocopherols)! We have found A.C. Grace’s Unique E Tocotrienols to be the only tocotrienol supplement that follows the research. Unique E tocotrienols are derived solely from annatto, which is itself solely comprised of tocotrienols. This means that you can be absolutely positive that there will be no hidden tocopherols in the supplement interfering with the absorption of tocotrienols in your body. Furthermore, Unique E Tocotrienols contain high-levels of the purest delta and gamma tocotrienols, which have been shown in many research studies to be the most potent and effective forms of tocotrienols for lowering cholesterol and supporting the body’s natural cancer-control mechanisms.(11)

Unique E has been the leader in tocopherol research and supplementation for some time now, and they are just now broadening their know-how into the world of tocotrienols. In fact, we here at BCN like to think that Unique E has come up with the perfect Vitamin E combo – only they’re not in the same bottle! Taking both full-spectrum-tocotrienols and -tocopherols are essential for good health, as long as you recall the specific benefits of each and remember not to take them together. Please click on the links below for more information about ordering the Unique E tocotrienols and the Unique E tocopherols below. Your body will certainly thank you for it!