Missing Link in Your Vitamin E Supplement

CHECK THE LABEL OF YOUR VITAMIN E supplement and you will very likely fi

nd only alpha tocopherol on it. Food naturally contains all four members

– alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherol – of the vitamin E (tocopherol)

family.

However, when it was first discovered in 1922, scientists mistakenly

concluded that vitamin E was a single compound – d-alpha tocopherol. So

for the next 70-80 years vitamin E supplements contain only d- alpha

tocopherol. It was only in the last decade that scientists discovered the

important health benefits of the long-ignored `black-sheep’ members –

d-gamma, d-delta and d-beta tocopherol which include anti- inflammatory

and cardioprotective activity.

Some of the benefits offered by the other members (d-gamma, d- beta and

d-delta tocopherol) are similar to d-alpha tocopherol while others are

completely different.

While d-alpha tocopherol alone does provide certain benefits, it has

been found that the best benefits of vitamin E supplements come when it

contains all four members. The `team’ works better together than d-alpha

tocopherol alone.

“Everyone should take vitamin E, especially heart patients,” says Dr G.

Edward Desaulniers, director of the Shute Institute Medical Clinic in

London, Ontario. Evan and Wilfrid Shute, the clinics’ founders,

discovered back in the 1940s that vitamin E could benefit patients who

suffered from cardiovascular disease.

Today, most health practitioners agree that everyone can benefit from

vitamin E because it is one of the body’s most potent fat- soluble

antioxidant and is crucial for protecting against free radical damage

that result in degenerative diseases.

Vitamin E helps protect against oxidation of LDL cholesterol and raises

the level of “good” HDL cholesterol. It’s been shown to reduce risks of

heart attacks, rev up the immune system, fight cancer and lower risks of

developing cataracts. The surprising development is that while high

levels of dietary vitamin E have consistently shown these effects,

typical vitamin E supplements have not. And there is a reason.

The latest research places particular importance on the

recently-discovered benefits of gamma tocopherol as found in mixed

tocopherol vitamin E supplements. Since taking large doses alpha

tocopherol depletes plasma levels of gamma-tocopherol, those who take

only alpha tocopherol supplements may need to reconsider this practice.

A comprehensive review by Qing Jiang, Bruce N. Ames and their

colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley – on the recent

findings of gamma tocopherol as found in mixed tocopherol supplements was

recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. After

reviewing numerous studies, the authors concluded that it was time to

abandon the outdated review that only alpha tocopherol is important, and

to conduct more research on gamma tocopherol, in particular the promising

`other’ vitamin E.

Studies have shown immense benefits of vitamin E in reducing

cardiovascular disease and death from heart attack, while others have

been unsuccessful in showing similar results. This discrepancy may well

be due to the fact that only alpha tocopherol was studied in isolation,

while mixed tocopherols (especially gamma) were not considered.

This may also explain why vitamin E found in food is more effective

than conventional vitamin E supplements containing only alpha tocopherol

– in reducing death from cardiovascular disease. Food provides a broader

spectrum of vitamin E family than the conventional vitamin E supplement.

Research has shown that the vitamin E team is much more effective as an

antioxidant than alpha tocopherol alone. The different forms of vitamin E

have complementary effects as free radical scavengers. Together they can

fight a wider spectrum of free radicals than alpha tocopherol alone.

One particular research group found that gamma tocopherol – as found in

mixed tocopherol supplements – is significantly more effective than alpha

tocopherol in inhibiting the powerful and harmful oxidising agent,

peroxynitrite. Gamma tocopherol can, therefore, protect cells against the

mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of the very damaging reactive nitrogen

species. Nitrogen-free radicals play a role in the development of

arteriosclerosis (hardening of artery), and also neurological disorders.

Free radicals can stimulate and intensify inflammation by turning on

genes that promote inflammation. Many serious degenerative conditions,

including atherosclerosis, various types of cancer and Alzheimer’s

disease, appear to be promoted by chronic inflammation.

Research scientists at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute

found that gamma tocopherol plays a superior role in suppressing

inflammation than alpha tocopherol.

The tendency of blood platelets sticking together promotes the

formation of blood clots which increases the risk of heart attacks and

strokes. The blood thinning benefit of vitamin E helps to decrease

platelets sticking together.

Smokers have notoriously low levels of vitamin E, particularly gamma

tocopherol. This is because smoking depletes gamma tocopherol. Hence, it

is vital that smokers choose a vitamin E which comprises of gamma (mixed)

tocopherol rather than the conventional single compound, alpha tocopherol

as it helps smokers maintain better health which is much needed by them.

Studies have suggested that alpha tocopherol may not yield the much

alleged health benefits unless it’s combined with gamma tocopherol.

Furthermore, too much alpha tocopherol opposes the antioxidant effects of

gamma tocopherol by displacing it. If you are currently taking the

conventional vitamin E (only alpha tocopherol), you should consider

balancing your alpha tocopherol supplement with a supplement containing

mixed tocopherols.

Currently in Malaysia, there is only one vitamin E supplement that

contains all four members of the family. – Article courtesy of Pahang

Pharmacy