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TOCOTRIENOLS:
E's Kissing Cousin
by Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN |
I outlined the benefits and history of
supplementing with Vitamin E in another article, and now I would
like to introduce you to Vitamin E's cousin.
I'm sure you have all
heard Vitamin E referred to as alpha tocopherol? Actually it is made
up of 8 tocopherols, named after the first 8 letters of the Greek
alphabet, and the new cousins are called Tocotrienols, of which 4
major ones have been isolated, called alpha, beta, gamma & delta -
also after letters of the Greek alphabet.
The most common sources of
tocopherols are corn, soy and olive oils, and the Tocotrienols are
found predominantly in rice, barley and palm oils. Incidentally, the
"tri" is pronounced as in tricycle.
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Much of the research on
Tocotrienols has focused on their antioxidant abilities in their
capacity as cholesterol lowerers.
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In one double blind cross-over
study, serum concentrations of cholesterol decreased by an
astonishing 31% in some of the study subjects in the short period of
four weeks. Many of the major medications used to control
cholesterol work by suppressing the liver's ability to manufacture
the substance, and therefore some of their most serious side-effects
are connected with damage to the liver.
It appears that the pathway
by which Tocotrienols control cholesterol has to do with suppressing
an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, and therefore they also suppress
the liver's cholesterol manufacturing rate, but fortunately without
any of the accompanying side effects.
In line with its ability to
minimize a risk factor for heart disease, there is also some work
that shows Tocotrienols decrease the possibility of stroke by having
an effect on thromboxane levels in the blood: a lowering in humans
of from 20 to 26% was demonstrated, and also a decrease in platelet
aggregation.
Many experts suggest using the
Tocotrienols to clear the existing cholesterol accumulation, then
adding other nutrients, such as Red Yeast Rice or Policosanols, to
prevent further build-up.
Other studies have suggested a
protective effect against atherosclerosis by virtue of Tocotrienols'
antioxidant properties: damage from free radicals in the walls of
the arteries is the end stage of the disease. A study at the Kenneth
L. Jordan Heart Fund in 1993 showed that Tocotrienols significantly
decreased plasma cholesterol, LDLs and VLDLs - all the baddies, in
fact.
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One reason they may be so effective
is that, like alpha lipoic acid , Tocotrienols have the
capability to penetrate lipid membranes
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which means they can operate
effectively in organs with fatty layers like the brain and the
liver. In fact, some research being done on the role of Tocotrienols
in liver and breast cancer suggests a highly protective role for it,
even to the extent of limiting the damage where a chemical agent was
introduced in test animals to bring about a cancer. Part of a
molecule's antioxidant function is to prevent damage to DNA, and
protect against cellular damage.
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Some anti-tumor effect has been shown
in Tocotrienols
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they appear to slow the growth of breast cancer (VitRet
Mar 99 32-33) in laboratory and animal tests, an effect attributed
to their ability to regulate cell growth. Another study showed
possible benefits for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Sid Shastri CCN, of Jarrow Formulas, has
kindly allowed me to quote the following information from him:
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" Unlike other sources of tocotrienol, Toco-Life offers the highest
levels of alpha and delta-tocotrienols while providing the same
level of gamma-tocotrienol - a true full spectrum tocotrienol
complex in comparison with other tocotrienols currently available in
the market.
Studies suggest that different fractions of
tocotrienols combine to provide different types of health benefits.
For example, gamma tocotrienol is the most potent effector of HMG
coA catabolism (thus resulting in the reduction of cholesterol
synthesis). Palm-based Toco-Life has identical concentration of
gamma in comparison to rice tocotrienol.
Delta-tocotrienol has only one methyl group
attached to the chromanol ring is the most potent tocotrienol, as
shown by various studies, for inhibition of aberrant cell growth.
Also, the delta fraction is the most potent inhibitor of adhesion
molecule expression and monocytic cell adherence. Toco-Life has the
highest concentration of delta tocotrienol. "
Both tocopherols and Tocotrienols
have important roles to play in protecting our health, and those of
us who are taking one might also be considering the benefits of
adding the other: it is obvious they both play a significant part in
disease prevention.
| Keywords:
tocotrienols cholesterol, tocotrienol antioxidant, tocotrienol
cholesterol, palm tocotrienol, tocotrienol tumors, the vitamin
lady writes about tocotrienols health effects |
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