Tocotrienols – A Multi-Dimensional Nutrient Powerhouse

Friday, March 07, 2008
Byron J. Richards, Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist

Tocotrienols should be a main part of any person’s dietary supplement program.  Not only do they offer superior antioxidant protection, they work in numerous other ways to provide powerful health protection1 – especially to your brain and circulatory system. 

Tocotrienols are a form of vitamin E that is far different than the common vitamin E known as d alpha tocopherol.  This is because common d alpha tocopherol, which is an excellent antioxidant, is limited in its function by a “long stiff tail.”  In comparison, tocotrienols have a “short flexible tail” that is highly interactive with cell membranes enabling them to provide superior protection to all cells in your body.

A number of studies2 have shown that this makes a dramatic difference in cells of your nervous system and brain – offering protection that is not provided by common vitamin E.  Nerve related wear and tear has various forms ranging in nature from poor stress tolerance, memory loss, and poor mental skills to more advanced nerve-related wear and tear that occurs as a person ages.  Conditions of nerve wear and tear, whether small or large, typically involve excessive neuro-excitation heats up nerves and weakens them – leading to eventual nerve decay and destruction as the wear and tear trend continues over time. 

Primary causes of such problems include exposure to general pollution in any city, acute chemical exposure, excess stress, and chemicals the FDA allows in the food supply (MSG, aspartame, food coloring, pesticides, etc.).  All of these forms of nerve irritation induce what is known as glutamate-driven excitotoxic damage.  As it turns out, alpha tocotrienol Specialized form of vitamin E. Powerful antioxidant showing positive benefits for cholesterol, cardiovascular, neurological health and cancer risk reduction. can completely prevent this common and typical form of nerve damage that otherwise drives the nerve decay process.  There is no natural molecule more effective than tocotrienols in this regards.

Studies with tocotrienols show that they readily cross the blood brain barrier and protect your nerves.  They also have a high ability to accumulate in all vital organs – lending an unparalleled degree of nutritional support and protection.  It is important to maintain regular supplementation3 of doses ranging from 35 mg to 300 mg a day, depending on the degree of support desired.  Higher amounts offer more protection.  If supplementation is discontinued the extra cellular protection is lost within several months.

In addition to extraordinary nerve and brain protection, tocotrienols are natural regulators of many aspects of health.  Unlike common vitamin E, studies show that tocotrienols:
1) Protect against prostate4 and breast5 cancer.
2) Activate p53 genes6, which are regulators of the cell cycle and the guardians of the human genome against cancer.
3) Turn down the master inflammatory switch known as NF-kappaB Protein complex that controls DNA transcription and is involved with cellular responses to stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidized LDL, and infections. 7, which is also a central problem in the growth of all types of cancer.
4) Prevent improper blood flow8 to tumors, in diabetics, and during arthritis.
5) Stop cell adhesion molecules9 that are needed to attach cholesterol into plaque, resulting in hardened and clogged arteries.
6) Naturally regulate the synthesis of cholesterol, helping to lower high cholesterol10.
7) Are now touted by scientists as one of the best all-purpose cardiovascular nutrients11, also protecting the heart and supporting healthy heart rhythms.

Any drug that could do 20% of what tocotrienols do would be the best selling drug in the world.  And there are no adverse side effects.

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Referenced Studies:
  1. ^ Tocotrienols in Disease Prevention  J Biol Chem.  Yoshida Y, Saito Y, Jones LS, Shigeri Y.
  2. ^ Potent Nerve Protection by Tocotrienols  J Neurochem.  Khanna S, Roy S, Parinandi NL, Maurer M, Sen CK.
  3. ^ Consistent Tocotrienol Supplementation is Best for Maintaining Health   Free Radic Res.  Patel V, Khanna S, Roy S, Ezziddin O, Sen CK.
  4. ^ Tocotrienols and Prostate Cancer  Biochem Biophys Res Commun.  Srivastava JK, Gupta S.
  5. ^ Tocotrienols and Breast Cancer  Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.  Nesaretnam K, Gomez PA, Selvaduray KR, Razak GA.
  6. ^ Tocotrienols and General Cancer Protection  Cell Cycle.   Agarwal MK, Agarwal ML, Athar M, Gupta S.
  7. ^ Tocotreinols Turn Down Excess NF-KappaB   J Biol Chem.  Ahn KS, Sethi G, Krishnan K, Aggarwal BB.
  8. ^ Proper Circulation Supported by Tocotrienols  J Nutr.  Nakagawa K, Shibata A, Yamashita S, Tsuzuki T, Kariya J, Oikawa S, Miyazawa T.
  9. ^ Tocotrienols Help Prevent Atherosclerosis  Atherosclerosis.   Theriault A, Chao JT, Gapor A.
  10. ^ Tocotrienols Lower Cholesterol  Atherosclerosis.  Baliarsingh S, Beg ZH, Ahmad J.
  11. ^ Tocotrienols in cardioprotection.  Vitam Horm.  Das S, Nesaretnam K, Das DK.

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