Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.

The most powerful antioxidants available anywhere, and the most effective metabolic boosters available anywhere are

The Mixed Tocopherols and Tocotrienols

The mixed tocopherols represent the complete vitamin E family -- alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherols.

There is a lot of confusion among both the lay public and among doctors about vitamin E.

Vitamin E is thought of, and properly so, as an antioxidant.

Most people also think of Vitamin E primarily as alpha tocopherol, or, as one of the alpha tocopherol esters.

As it turns out, what most people consider to be...

VITAMIN E (ALPHA TOCOPHEROL) IS NOT REALLY SUCH A GREAT ANTIOXIDANT

Its antioxidant activity is positively dwarfed by the antioxidant activity of gamma tocopherol particularly, and the other tocopherols as well.

But the thing you need to be most aware of regarding the tocotrienols is that they MUST be derived from palm.

The few nutrition companies who are promoting a tocotrienol product are using a vastly inferior source.

They are deriving their tocotrienols from rice bran.

The reason this is a problem is because the tocotrienols from rice bran are almost totally lacking in the delta fraction of tocotrienols, which is by far the most biologically active antioxidant of the tocotrienol family.

So, the situation is this -- all the research done on the tremendous benefits of tocotrienols is done with tocotrienols derived from palm, which are very high in delta tocotrienol, while the pill peddlers are trying to sell you a tocotrienol product derived from rice bran, which is (obviously) cheaper in price, but gives you only a small portion of the benefits demonstrated in the scientific literature.

When you see Vitamin E on the label of a nutrition supplement, it is almost always one of the various forms of alpha tocopherol.

It doesn't matter whether the label says alpha tocopherol, alpha tocopheryl succinate, alpha tocopheryl acetate, vitamin E, natural vitamin E, or whatever, it is certain to be an alpha derivative.

Now, when you see vitamin E on the label of foods and cosmetics, what kind of vitamin E do you have?

Almost invariably you have mixed tocopherols.

Why?

While the label of the food or the cosmetic may be designed to imply that the vitamin E is there for your health benefit -- they may have labeled it vitamin E, or even natural vitamin E -- the truth is that that vitamin E is in the food or the cosmetic not for your benefit but to protect the product itself.

In other words, to protect flavor and color, and to prevent the oxidative destruction of the critical components of the food or cosmetic, the manufacturer desperately needs a powerful antioxidant.

Guess what's in there?

Mixed tocopherols!

The point is that when you want a no holds barred antioxidant for a knock down drag out fight with oxidative stressors, you don't fool around with the form of vitamin E they put in vitamin pills.

YOU WANT MIXED TOCOPHEROLS

Gamma tocopherol has been measured in scientific research to be far more potent than alpha tocopherol in suppressing free radicals in living organisms.

It is interesting to note that alpha tocopherol can actually displace gamma tocopherol in living tissues.

So, now think about all the people that are taking 400, 800, or more international units of vitamin E each day in the belief that they are getting antioxidant protection, when actually they are destroying the most potent (and all too rare) antioxidant of all, gamma tocopherol.

This is not to say that alpha tocopherol is bad.

Quite the contrary.

One form of alpha tocopherol, the ester alpha tocopheryl succinate is more effective in its role as an anti-thrombic agent than any of the other tocopherols, and it is more effective in boosting immune function.

Interestingly, there is research showing that the combination of gamma tocopherol plus alpha tocopheryl succinate gives synergistic benefits in protection against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and many other diseases.