Vitamin E (Tocotrienol)

What is Vitamin E?

Vitamin E consists of 8 naturally occuring isomers of:

4 tocopherols (alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ) and delta (δ)) and

4 tocotrienols (alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ) and delta (δ)). 



alpha (α) Tocotrienol:
R1=Me
R2=Me
R3=Me

beta (β) Tocotrienol
R1=Me
R2=H
R3=Me

gamma (γ)Tocotrienol
R1=H
R2=Me
R3=Me

delta (δ) Tocotrienol
R1=H
R2=H
R3=Me

How Vitamin E acts as antioxidant?

Metabolism and exposure to environmental pollution, ultraviolet radiation, toxic chemicals causes free radicals to be formed. Free radicals can cause significant cellular damage. Free radical lacks an electron making it highly unstable molecule. An electron from molecules such as proteins and lipids in human body cells are taken by free radical. Once a stable molecule lacks an electron, it becomes a free radical.

Antioxidants (eg tocotrienol and tocopherol) can inactivate free radicals by donating one of their electrons to the free radical. (Tocotrienols able to donate a hydrogen atom (a proton plus electron) from the hydroxyl group on the chromanol ring). Antioxidants are unique as they do not become a free radical themselves because they remain stable before and after donating the electron. This stops the domino effect of free radicals being created. Therefore, limits cells and tissues damage.

Alpha-tocotrienol is 40-60 times more potent than alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant and highly protective of the body against free radical attacks.

Tocotrienols are forms of natural Vitamin E that can protect against brain cell damage, help to prevent cancer and reduce cholesterol. These characteristics, however, are not present in tocopherols. 

Since the 1980s, there have been more studies proving tocotrienols are more potent in their anti-oxidation and anti-cancer effect than the common forms of tocopherol due their chemical structure. The unsaturated side-chain in tocotrienols causes them to penetrate tissues with saturated fatty layers more efficiently, making them ideal for anti-aging oral supplements and the skincare range. Tocotrienols are better able than tocopherols at combating oxidative stress of skin that had been exposed to UV rays of the sunlight.

In vivo, tocotrienols are more powerful antioxidants, and lipid ORAC values are highest for δ-tocotrienol. Since 2000, scientists have suggested tocotrienols are better antioxidants than tocopherols at preventing cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
 
In a 2009 study at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, scientists found reduction in skin cancer cells when treated with gamma-tocotrienol with chemotherapy drugs. For the first time, researchers recorded the anti-invasion and chemonsensitization effect of gamma-tocotrienol against human malignant melanoma cells. In cell line and animal studies, δ- and γ- tocotrienols have been shown to suppress the growth of melanoma.

Where Tocotrienols can be found? 

Tocotrienols are naturally found in palm oil, wheat germ, barley and oat. Tocotrienols only occurs at very low levels in nature with the highest concentration found in palm oil.

Tocotrienol are commercially obtained from palm, rice bran and annatto.

It is impossible to obtain the amount of tocotrienols that show beneficial effects from the normal diet alone. We would have to consume unreasonably large quantities of these foods to achieve an effective level of tocotrienols in our body.