Most vitamin E supplements comprise artificial alpha-tocopherol, but unlike some other vitamins, the artificial form is not same to the natural form of Vitamin E. Supplements are labelled d-alpha for natural and dl-alpha for synthetic. If the label lists "dl-alpha-tocopherol", it's not the real thing.
"This is most clearly shown by comparing natural with artificial vitamin E. Both have same antioxidant activities, yet the natural vitamin E has almost twice the availability of artificial vitamin E". (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1998 Apr;67(4):669-84).
Vitamine
Japanese researchers found that natural vitamin E at 100 mg per day was not dissimilar from that of 300 mg per day of artificial vitamin E in seven normal, healthy women aged 21-37 years. (Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Mar;65(3):785-9).
It is leading to know that there are some types of Vitamin E.
Vitamin E is surely a generic name for eight cut off compounds. Some members of the vitamin E house are called tocopherols. These members comprise alpha tocopherol, beta tocopherol, gamma tocopherol, and delta tocopherol. Other members of the vitamin E house are called tocotrienols. These members comprise alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocotrienol.
Both groups all blended together in plants and animals, which is why the best form of vitamin E comes from your food.
Nearly all of the clinical research on vitamin E has used alpha-tocopherol but high doses of alpha-tocopherol have been shown to deplete gamma-tocopherol.
Gamma-tocopherol concentrations in the blood have been reported to be significantly lower in coronary heart disease patients compared to healthy subjects, suggesting that the low gamma-tocopherol concentrations increased the risk of coronary heart disease.
Gamma-tocopherol has also been shown be leading in the vitamin E protective association with alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer.
Alpha-tocopherols are the most widely used, but gamma, beta and delta tocopherols also offer leading benefits.
Supplementing with mixed tocopherols should regain the benefits of both alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol, without creating an imbalance in these two forms of vitamin E. Supplements containing this wide variety of vitamin E forms are usually referred to as "mixed tocopherol" or "mixed tocotrienol" supplements.
Remember to take your vitamin E with some sort of fat or oil for best absorption as it is a fat soluble vitamin.
According to [Maret] Traber and [Scott] Leonard, this indicates that citizen who are taking vitamin E supplements only with liquids on an empty stomach are accomplishing nothing and getting few if any benefits from the supplements. The vitamin clearly is absorbed best if it is part of, or intimately associated with the digestion of a food that has some fat in it." (David Stauth, Oregon State University, The Linus Pauling design 15/1/2004).
You can get the best forms of vitamin E through your food. Fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, oily fish (salmon, mackerel and sardines), eggs, natural organ meats and nuts are good sources. Most of these foods give you the entire vitamin E family.
References:
Burton Gw, Traber Mg, Acuff Rv, Walters Dn, Kayden H, Hughes L, Ingold Ku. Human plasma and tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations in response to supplementation with deuterated natural and artificial vitamin E. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Apr;67(4):669-84.
Kiyose C, Muramatsu R, Kameyama Y, Ueda T, Igarashi O. Biodiscrimination of alpha-tocopherol stereoisomers in humans after oral administration. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Mar;65(3):785-9.
Pmid: 9062530.
David Stauth, Oregon State University, The Linus Pauling Institute, Study finds huge variability in vitamin E absorption, 15-Jan-2004.
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Natural Vitamin E Has almost Twice The Availability Of artificial Vitamin E
