HEALTH REPORT
Tocotrienols the next-level antioxidant
W hat are tocotrienols? And how can they help you? Naturopath and nutritionist Dr Brad McEwen has the answers. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that was discovered nearly 100 years ago, in 1922. It acts as an antioxidant in the body, preventing cell damage by inhibiting the oxidation of lipids (fats) and the formation of free radicals. Inadequate vitamin E can go undetected for a long time, which is why a vitamin E deficiency is involved in various chronic diseases. You may already know that vitamin E has a long history of therapeutic use, thanks to this antioxidant prowess. There are strong links between oxidation, free radical damage and inflammation, which all negatively impact health and influence the progression of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and neurological and cognitive conditions. Vitamin E also protects other fat-soluble vitamins, aids in the utilisation of vitamin A, protects low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) from oxidation (oxidised LDL is implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease), inhibits blood platelet aggregation (clotting) and supports immune function.
Antioxidant family What you may not know, however, is that vitamin E is actually a family of eight antioxidant compounds. These consist of four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) and four tocotrienols (also alpha through delta). Tocotrienols are naturally derived from several sources, including annatto, rice bran and palm. Tocotrienols
Vitamin E molecules all have a ‘head’ attached to a ‘tail’. The difference between tocotrienols and tocopherols lies in this tail: whereas tocopherols are attached with a saturated tail at the C2 position, tocotrienols have three double bonds in the side chain. These double bonds, combined with the tocotrienols’ unsaturated side chain, allow for more efficient penetration into cells and tissues that have saturated fatty layers, such as the heart, brain and liver. Tocotrienols are uniquely shaped so they can reside within the lipid layers of the cell membrane, which means they can protect the integrity of the cell. Tocotrienols have a very broad range of medicinal properties; they are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, pain-relieving, cholesterol- lowering and cardioprotective. They also increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes, improve immune function, modify various inflammatory pathways, reduce thrombosis, increase insulin sensitivity and protect the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular and nervous systems. A more powerful option Research indicates that, compared to tocopherols, tocotrienols are around 50 times more potent as an antioxidant; this is due to their better distribution in the lipid layers of the cell membrane. Tocotrienols prevent the peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in various
Tocotrienols reduce the inflammation and free radical damage that negatively affect heart health.
are bioavailable and have been shown to deposit in lipid-rich organs, such as the brain, spleen, lung, kidney and heart, as well as in skin and adipose tissue.
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ISSUE 55 • 2019
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