Tocotrienols: a tastier & healthier vitamin E!
True or false: All vitamin E supplements are the same.
False! Most vitamin E supplements contain various types of tocopherols. Tocotrienols are another type of vitamin E, but they're more expensive and not as common. However, tocotrienols offer many more health benefits than tocopherols.
Are tocotrienols really that much better than tocopherols?
Tocotrienols by themselves may not be any more potent than tocopherols. What they are better at doing is getting into your cells. Isn't that the whole point? Here are a few ways tocotrienols can benefit your health. For your convenience, each section includes the referenced scientific journal.
Anti-aging: "One hallmark in the origin of disease and aging is the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tocotrienols possess excellent antioxidant activity in vitro and have been suggested to suppress ROS production more efficiently than tocopherols." [J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):151-4]
Fights breast, liver & lung cancers: Tocotrienols "inhibited growth of [breast cancer] cells by 50%." [Lipids. 1995 Dec;30(12):1139-43] Tocotrienols are powerful fighters of new breast cancer cell growth and have been shown to cause the cancer cells to die without any harmful effects on normal cells. [J Plant Physiol. 2005 Jul;162(7):803-10] "Experimental evidence strongly suggests that dietary supplementation of tocotrienols may provide significant health benefits in lowering the risk of breast cancer in women."[Front Biosci. 2005 Jan 1;10:699-709. Print 2005 Jan 1] In a rodent study, "Oral administration of tocotrienols resulted in significant suppression of liver and lung carcinogenesis." [Cancer Lett. 2005 Nov 18;229(2):181-91. Epub 2005 Aug 10]
Neuroprotective: In a study involving spontaneously hypertensive rats, tocotrienols proved to be protective of stroke-induced neurodegeneration. [Stroke. 2005 Oct;36(10):2258-64. Epub 2005 Sep 15] "Dietary supplementation studies have established that tocotrienol, fed orally, does reach the brain. The current findings point toward tocotrienol as a potent neuroprotective form of natural vitamin E." [Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42] Tocotrienol is "a natural antioxidant supplement capable of protecting the brain against oxidative damage and thereby from the ensuing adverse alterations." [Neurosci Lett. 1995 Aug 11;195(3):179-82]
Lowers cholesterol: Nineteen type 2 diabetics were given tocotrienols for 60 days, and their LDL (bad) cholesterol was reduced 42%. [Atherosclerosis. 2005 Oct;182(2):367-74. Epub 2005 Apr 20]
Add tocotrienols to your diet without taking another pill
A very rich source of tocotrienols is coconut oil. It's been given a bad rap in decades past because food manufacturers hydrogenated it to give it a longer shelf life. UNhydrogenated coconut oil is now commonly available, and that's the type you should buy.
We added coconut oil to our family's diet about 10 years ago. We use it for all types of cooking. If you freeze it before use, you can substitute it for butter or lard when making pie crusts. I've also used it to coat the outside of my Thanksgiving turkey. It's not quite liquid at room temperature, so you have to warm it up a little if you need to measure it as a liquid - although, it's extremely pliable and easy to work with at room temperature.
I've read in some articles that coconut oil is not recommended for frying, but I don't think that's universally accepted. In fact, I've read that it's highly recommended by many nutritionists specifically because it's one of the few oils that's very well suited to high-temperature cooking. While many oils break down (and may cause free radicals) when exposed to high heat, coconut oil isn't one of them.
Organic coconut oil doesn't have to be expensive
Coconut oil is pretty common these days, so you should be able to find it at your local grocery store or health food store. Whatever brand you buy, it should be virgin, organic and unrefined. Below is a link to Nutiva, which is the brand I use.
Eat well!
Additional sources:
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:368-75
J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):151-4
Lipids. 1995 Dec;30(12):1139-43
J Plant Physiol. 2005 Jul;162(7):803-10
Front Biosci. 2005 Jan 1;10:699-709. Print 2005 Jan 1
Cancer Lett. 2005 Nov 18;229(2):181-91. Epub 2005 Aug 10
Stroke. 2005 Oct;36(10):2258-64. Epub 2005 Sep 15
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42
Neurosci Lett. 1995 Aug 11;195(3):179-82
Atherosclerosis. 2005 Oct;182(2):367-74. Epub 2005 Apr 20
* * * * * * * *
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
False! Most vitamin E supplements contain various types of tocopherols. Tocotrienols are another type of vitamin E, but they're more expensive and not as common. However, tocotrienols offer many more health benefits than tocopherols.
Are tocotrienols really that much better than tocopherols?
Tocotrienols by themselves may not be any more potent than tocopherols. What they are better at doing is getting into your cells. Isn't that the whole point? Here are a few ways tocotrienols can benefit your health. For your convenience, each section includes the referenced scientific journal.
Anti-aging: "One hallmark in the origin of disease and aging is the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Tocotrienols possess excellent antioxidant activity in vitro and have been suggested to suppress ROS production more efficiently than tocopherols." [J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):151-4]
Fights breast, liver & lung cancers: Tocotrienols "inhibited growth of [breast cancer] cells by 50%." [Lipids. 1995 Dec;30(12):1139-43] Tocotrienols are powerful fighters of new breast cancer cell growth and have been shown to cause the cancer cells to die without any harmful effects on normal cells. [J Plant Physiol. 2005 Jul;162(7):803-10] "Experimental evidence strongly suggests that dietary supplementation of tocotrienols may provide significant health benefits in lowering the risk of breast cancer in women."[Front Biosci. 2005 Jan 1;10:699-709. Print 2005 Jan 1] In a rodent study, "Oral administration of tocotrienols resulted in significant suppression of liver and lung carcinogenesis." [Cancer Lett. 2005 Nov 18;229(2):181-91. Epub 2005 Aug 10]
Neuroprotective: In a study involving spontaneously hypertensive rats, tocotrienols proved to be protective of stroke-induced neurodegeneration. [Stroke. 2005 Oct;36(10):2258-64. Epub 2005 Sep 15] "Dietary supplementation studies have established that tocotrienol, fed orally, does reach the brain. The current findings point toward tocotrienol as a potent neuroprotective form of natural vitamin E." [Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42] Tocotrienol is "a natural antioxidant supplement capable of protecting the brain against oxidative damage and thereby from the ensuing adverse alterations." [Neurosci Lett. 1995 Aug 11;195(3):179-82]
Lowers cholesterol: Nineteen type 2 diabetics were given tocotrienols for 60 days, and their LDL (bad) cholesterol was reduced 42%. [Atherosclerosis. 2005 Oct;182(2):367-74. Epub 2005 Apr 20]
Add tocotrienols to your diet without taking another pill
A very rich source of tocotrienols is coconut oil. It's been given a bad rap in decades past because food manufacturers hydrogenated it to give it a longer shelf life. UNhydrogenated coconut oil is now commonly available, and that's the type you should buy.
We added coconut oil to our family's diet about 10 years ago. We use it for all types of cooking. If you freeze it before use, you can substitute it for butter or lard when making pie crusts. I've also used it to coat the outside of my Thanksgiving turkey. It's not quite liquid at room temperature, so you have to warm it up a little if you need to measure it as a liquid - although, it's extremely pliable and easy to work with at room temperature.
I've read in some articles that coconut oil is not recommended for frying, but I don't think that's universally accepted. In fact, I've read that it's highly recommended by many nutritionists specifically because it's one of the few oils that's very well suited to high-temperature cooking. While many oils break down (and may cause free radicals) when exposed to high heat, coconut oil isn't one of them.
Organic coconut oil doesn't have to be expensive
Coconut oil is pretty common these days, so you should be able to find it at your local grocery store or health food store. Whatever brand you buy, it should be virgin, organic and unrefined. Below is a link to Nutiva, which is the brand I use.
Eat well!
Additional sources:
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:368-75
J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):151-4
Lipids. 1995 Dec;30(12):1139-43
J Plant Physiol. 2005 Jul;162(7):803-10
Front Biosci. 2005 Jan 1;10:699-709. Print 2005 Jan 1
Cancer Lett. 2005 Nov 18;229(2):181-91. Epub 2005 Aug 10
Stroke. 2005 Oct;36(10):2258-64. Epub 2005 Sep 15
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Dec;1031:127-42
Neurosci Lett. 1995 Aug 11;195(3):179-82
Atherosclerosis. 2005 Oct;182(2):367-74. Epub 2005 Apr 20
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
posted by Edith Gaylord | 5:30 AM
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