Tocotrienols Information

What are tocotrienols? They are part of the vitamin E family. In fact, vitamin E itself is actually an umbrella term for a particular group of compounds, tocopherols and toco-trienols. To be very precise, toco-trienols molecules are believed to be the most powerful of the vitamin E antioxidants, alpha-tocotrienol especially.

Until recently, tocopherols of Vitamin E have been receiving the lion's share of attention as to its capabilities. Those dominant tocopherols are, alpha-tocopherol, beta-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, etc. Alpha-tocopherol was also recognized as vitamin E's predominant and most powerful form.

Now, though, they have been identified for its heart healthy capabilities among other qualities it possesses. Now, experts say to get the full benefits of Vitamin E, health experts confirm that you need both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Be careful, though. Most Vitamin E supplements use tocopherols only, especially alpha-tocopherol, and are actually synthetic and not assimilable by the body.

In other words, they are utterly useless in promoting health and are excreted out in urine and/or sweat. Foods rich in tocotrienols include wheat germ - toasted or non-toasted, rice bran, barley oils, palm oil, oats, millet barley, and rye. In truth, to get the full Vitamin E benefits, you need both the tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Benefits of Tocotrienols

• Toco-trienols in Vitamin E help the cardiovascular system.
• Toco-trienols, especially alpha-tocotrienol, is a powerful antioxidant. It destroys free radical oxygen molecules that contribute to aging and many experts say to degenerative disease. This may be its most powerful health benefit.
• Studies show tocotrienol can lower bad cholesterol (LDL). One study found it could lower LDL cholesterol by 10%
• Tocot-rienols help to establish and maintain health cellular membranes.
• Toco-trienols help prevent atherosclerosis -- hardening of the arteries -- by its blood thinning properties.
• It helps prevent blood clotting and has been shown to help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Healthy amounts of tocotrienols and tocopherols also help in reducing cataract risk.

Precautions with Tocotrienols

Two quick points: pregnant and/or nursing women should always consult with a doctor before implementing a supplement program of any kind. Remember, tocotrienol has among other qualities, anti-coagulating capabilities. The risk here is that if you're already taking blood thinning medication or even aspirin, a known blood thinner, there is a possibility of the blood thinnng becoming amplified. This can be risky. Please consult with your doctor if taking any medication of any kind.

Experts advise taking a dosage from 10mg to 50mg per day when taking toco-trienols. Remember to take it with food for optimal absorption. Be advised natural forms of vitamin E in general will be designated with a "d" as for ,example, d-alpha-tocotrienol, d-gamma-tocotrienol.

This signifies it's natural. Synthetic forms have a "dl" designation , for example, dl-alpha-tocotrienol, dl-gamma-tocotrienol, etc. Avoid synthetic -- they're a waste of money.

What to Look for in Tocotrienol Supplements

There are literally hundreds of companies out there to choose from when selecting a good tocotrienols natural supplement. Unfortunately, not all of them are honest, not in their marketing nor in the manufacturer of the supplement. Here's what to look for before choosing anysupplement.

1. The supplements should be produced at pharmaceutical standard GMP registered facilities. Facilities that are GMP registered comply with the most rigid standards so as to minimize the possibility of product contaminants. (These are the same standards pharmaceutical companies in the United States are required to operate under as mandated by the FDA.) Nutritional supplements are not regulated by FDA and as such fraud is rampant with many so-called supplements containing contaminants with 1 in 5 not having the ingredients as proclaimed on the label!

2. Ensure the supplement manufacturer has a Certificate of Analysis (COA) on file for review by you the customer thus confirming the potency of the herbal ingredients listed on the label.

3. Ideally, make sure the supplement does not contain any fillers or additives such as sucrose (sugar), starch, gluten, silica (sand) or any other artificial colors, dyes, or flavors.

4. Avoid when you can taking tocotrienols on an empty stomach. Experts recommend taking it with food otherwise it will be poorly absorbed. Some nutritionists also believe it should be taken with fish oil supplements, which are rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids and therefore assist absorption.

Tocotrienols Natural Supplement

I have personally found a company that makes a tocotrienols natural supplement while also meeting all the above standards. The company is headquartered in New Zealand (they also have a office in the US as well). We mention New Zealand as unlike the U.S. they regulate the manufacture of dietary supplements.

In fact, they have among the strictest regulatory requirements in the world -- even surpassing the vaunted FDA standards for prescription medications!

Their multivitamin supplement product has not only natural tocotrienols but a full complement of herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals, specialty nutrients, amino acids, and more. I also take their Fish Oil Omega Ester product as well as this helps with tocotrienol absorption, plus it provides many other benefits as well.

I've been taking their pharmaceutical grade quality vitamin supplement product with tocotrienols for over a year and are very pleased with the results.

I hope you found this tocotrienols web page useful.

Yours in health, hope, and harmony,
Nutritional-Supplement-Bible.com