WHY IS TOCOTRIENOL BETTER THAN TOCOPHEROL?

WHAT IS TOCOTRIENOL?

Vitamin E exists in two analogous forms i.e. Tocotrienol and Tocopherol with four subforms (Alpha, Beta, Gamma & Delta) of each. Tocotrienol is an underrated but more potent form that is very rarely available in natural storehouses. It is among the best antioxidants known to date and is known to possess outstanding natural anti-cancer properties. It has the extraordinary capability of fetching and countervailing unstable free radicals which are present inaccessibly close to the cell walls.

SOURCES 

Tocotrienol is rarely available to us through our regular diets. It is not prepared synthetically and is extracted from natural storehouses only like annatto beans, palm oil, wheat germ, oats, barley, rye, rice bran, coconut, cocoa, grapefruit seed oil, hazelnuts, olive oil, maize, buckthorn berry, flaxseed oil, rye, sunflower oil, and poppy seed oil. 

Tocopherol is the commonly available form of vitamin E in drugstores, either solely or in multivitamin preparations. It can be prepared synthetically also and can naturally be found in palm oil, rice bran, safflower oil, wheat germ, soya bean oil, peanut oil, and cocoa butter. Because of its abundant availability, it is a widely used ingredient in the cosmetic industry for the manufacturing of skin-soothing soaps, make-up products, face creams, and hair care products.

Since tocopherol is present in our regular diets abundantly, its supplementation is completely futile. On the other hand, tocotrienol cannot be accomplished from our diet which makes its supplementation necessary.

STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCE IN BOTH THE COMPOUNDS

Tocotrienol molecules have shorter tails and lower molecular weight than Tocopherol molecules which make them more motile and improve their binding tendency towards the damaging free radicals. This structural supremacy of tocotrienol molecules enables them to accomplish comparatively higher tissue coverage. Furthermore, Tocopherol molecules possess long tails with single bonds all along. This restricts its biological functionality. On the other hand, tocotrienol molecules possess shorter tails with 3 double bonds. This unique structure adds greater functional efficiency to Tocotrienols. Therefore, due to all the above-mentioned reasons, the antioxidant capability of Tocotrienols is 50 times better than that of the Tocopherols. And because of the same reasons, the former vitamin E form has a way better bioavailability towards the tissues than the latter.

TOCOTRIENOL CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE NOT SHOWN BY TOCOPHEROL

• Because of differences in molecular structures, tocotrienol can show higher velocity and ability to reach closest to the cell wall, thereby preventing a free radical attack on cells in a way better manner than tocopherol. Moreover, because of higher speed and lower molecular weight, tocotrienol molecules can target more tissue area than tocopherol molecules.
• Tocotrienol molecules can penetrate more efficiently into the tissues having saturated fatty acid layers like brain and liver than Tocopherol. This is because of the presence of an unsaturated side chain.
• According to a study, Tocotrienols in nanomolar concentrations have a unique capability of preventing nerve cell damage by altering a specific mediator activity responsible for cell death. Therefore, this feature makes it a neuroprotective agent.
• It is said that tocotrienols may help in preventing the occurrence of life-threatening strokes. 
• By suppressing the activity of a particular liver enzyme (HMG-CoA Reductase) which helps in the synthesis of cholesterol, tocotrienol promotes cardiovascular health. Unlike tocopherol, tocotrienol has the efficiency to lower blood cholesterol levels even in small doses and can help to support healthy cholesterol levels. Because of this ability, it also helps in cleansing and depleting accumulated cholesterol plaques from our arteries. Although tocopherol can also help in preventing plaque formation in our blood vessels, it barely removes the plaque from them. This difference in cholesterol-lowering ability is due to the dissimilar molecular structure of both compounds.
• According to some studies, tocotrienols show higher suppressive action toward breast cancer growth than tocopherols.
• To date, no deficiencies for tocotrienol have been established. However, some studies suggest that it may help greatly in alleviating tocopherol deficiencies in our body. Such deficiencies may cause diseases of the central nervous system and neuromuscular malfunctioning. This is characterized by lack a of coordination in involuntary movements, weaknesses of muscles, body balance impairment, and sensory nerve injury. Also, it may lead to premature aging, unmanageable acne, poor fertility, and repeated miscarriages.

WHY SHOULD TOCOTRIENOL SUPPLEMENTS NOT BE TAKEN WITH TOCOPHEROL SUPPLEMENTS?

This is because tocopherol molecules are known to interfere with key therapeutic functions of tocotrienol in our bodies. So, one must avoid taking tocopherol supplements while taking pure tocotrienol preparations like Eannatto 125mg, Eannatto 300 mg, or Eannatto 400 mg for best results. Since these supplements contain 100% tocotrienols (annatto sourced), they can provide maximum health benefits with no tocopherol therapeutic hindrance. 

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