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When it comes to stellar nutrients in the vitamin world, the tocotrienol form of vitamin E continues to reveal stunning results. Decades of research highlight its remarkable track record. Research in the last year alone continues to expand on the numerous powerful aspects of this remarkable vitamin. Some of the most promising and powerful effects occur with obesity, pancreatic and insulin function, cancer, atherosclerosis, neurodegeneration and mitochondria protection. In the face of burgeoning health care costs and increasing numbers of individuals struggling with declining health, it is important to take note of tocotrienols. It is truly a miracle of Mother Nature.
Cancer
One major area that science continues to focus its efforts on is cancer prevention and the therapeutic potential of tocotrienols. This is not a new topic, as gamma tocotrienol is considered a prominent tool in the war on cancer. In the last year alone, there are some remarkable studies focusing on different types of deadly cancers and tocotrienol benefits. Tocotrienols, the unsaturated form of vitamin E, has been shown to have remarkable anti-tumor properties and actions. It is involved with cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis, anti-metastasis, NFkappa-B suppression, and protecting telomeres. Cell cycle arrest is a built-in checkpoint to help ensure the accuracy of DNA repair. Apoptosis is a tightly regulated cell-death process that cleans up damaged, old, and inappropriate cells. Angiogenesis is the development and presence of increased blood supply to cancer cells or tumors.
In the case of malignant melanoma, recent research demonstrates that tocotrienols provide an effective preventative and therapeutic treatment against this leading cause of skin cancer death. Research published earlier this summer, demonstrated that tocotrienols caused apoptosis to human melanoma cancer cells BLM and A375. Healthy skin cells were not adversely affected. Skin cell tumor growth was delayed and tumors shrunk in this animal study.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most feared deadly cancers. Recent research demonstrated preventative and anti-cancer activity of delta tocotrienols in patients with pancreatic duct cancer. The goal of the study was to evaluate its safety two weeks prior to pancreatic surgery and the day of surgery. Twenty-five patients received increasing doses of 200 to 3,200 mg daily for the two weeks prior to surgery. The majority of the patients received 400 mg to 1,600 mg daily. At this dose, it was noted that apoptosis or cancer cell death was reached in the majority of patients using 400 mg to 1,600 mg of daily dose of tocotrienols. There were no adverse side effects. This dose is an extremely high dose, but clearly the response was very favorable within just a short period of time. The scientists describe this as a very promising result for chemoprevention and/or therapy of pancreatic cancer.
Metastatic cancer or spreading of cancer is devastating. Hearing those words that the cancer has spread imparts great concern for the future of one’s life. It is the ultimate challenge in fighting cancer. A spring 2016 study commented on the effective ability of tocotrienols to suppress angiogenesis. Stopping angiogenesis changes the microenvironment of the tumor which is critical to stop the growth and spread of cancer.
Another study looked at tocotrienols and its effects on stopping breast cancer metastasis. This recent study evaluated a major target area that leads to malignancy called the HGF/Met axis. It is an area of intense study pertaining to breast cancer metastasis. In this study, evidence suggests that gamma tocotrienol therapy targeted the dysregulation of the HGF/Met axis and may provide significant benefit in the treatment of breast cancer.
The research on tocotrienols and its impact on cancer prevention and therapy is such that, researchers are evaluating ways of combining tocotrienols with chemotherapeutic agents or other dietary compounds like polyphenols. Polyphenols are plant-based nutrients found in fruits and vegetables like grape seed extract, resveratrol, quercetin, and green tea extract. Medicine is striving to find combination of natural support and lower dose drugs in efforts to reduce cancer.
Obesity and Tocotrienols
Turning the focus of tocotrienols and its effect on obesity, this opens yet another door of remarkable possibilities and results. Researchers published an animal study earlier this spring that combined tocotrienols with whey protein isolates. Their goal was to determine whether or not whey protein isolate combined with tocotrienols could improve exercise capacity and improve blood sugar management in obese rats caused by a high-fat diet. After ten weeks, exercise endurance was increased by 50 percent and was independent of body weight, obesity, or glucose tolerance.
Animal and human studies on gamma and delta tocotrienols have demonstrated several very positive effects on metabolism. Research shows that tocotrienols can reduce fat mass and body weight, reduce build up of cholesterol, triglycerides, and improve glucose and insulin function and tolerance. Recent research shows that tocotrienols can modulate the birth of new fat cells and even induce death of pre-fat or new fat cells while managing inflammation associated with obesity.
Alzheimer’s Disease, Microglial Cells, and Brain Mitochondria
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry May 2016 issue recently heralded tocotrienols in the prevention and therapy of Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia medications fail to make major differences, leaving patients and their caregivers struggling to manage this terrible disease. Research suggests that tocotrienols can provide a substantial tool for reducing the risk and progression of the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer’s disease. The unsaturated tocotrienols do this by providing powerful anti-inflammatory activity. They have been shown to block processes in the brain that contribute to the activation of microglial cells. Early research shows that it can reduce FFP and GGPP and amyloid beta protein production. These compounds lead to beta amyloid plaque build-up and Alzheimer’s disease.
Tocotrienols provide highly beneficial anti-inflammatory protection to the microglial cells of the brain. Chronic activation of microglial cells, the brain’s neuroimmune cells that clean up daily wear and tear of the brain, is like a car’s engine stuck in high gear and running low on oil. Sooner or later, the wear and tear is going to catch up and shut down function. This is a process linked to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Tocotrienols provide the support or the “antioxidant oil” that prevents the microglial cells from overheating and overworking. It also quenches immune reactivity to toxic compounds like LPS, COX-2 and PGE2/arachidonic acid.
The conversation on brain health, neuroinflammation, and tocotrienols would not be complete if there wasn’t some mention of mitochondria. Breakdown of mitochondria is intertwined with aging and neurodegeneration, especially disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Recent animal studies focused on the strategy to protect the brain and prevent neurodegeneration with the use of tocotrienols. Scientists measured several aspects of mitochondrial function and how tocotrienols protected mitochondria from aging and breakdown in the brain. According to their results, tocotrienols are a “promising nutraceutical for the prevention of age-related neurodegenerative diseases”.
There are several other avenues of study with tocotrienols not mentioned in this article, like heart, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, diabetes, bones and more. There are, however, two additional studies that deserve mention as we highlight recent information about this dominating antioxidant.
Tocotrienols Help with Hair Loss
Researchers investigated the effects of tocotrienols and hair growth in twenty-one volunteers suffering from hair loss. Tocotrienols were chosen because of their high levels of antioxidant protection. High levels of oxidative stress in the scalp and breakdown of the hair cell membranes from lipid peroxidation is associated with hair loss. Volunteers received 100 mg of mixed tocotrienols per day for eight months as opposed to the control group who received a placebo. The group who received the vitamin E supplement had a 34.5 percent increase in hair growth and numbers as opposed to the control group who had no change. The old wives’ tale that vitamin E (tocotrienols) can grow hair is indeed true!
Tocotrienols and Dysautonomia
Lastly, researchers have been evaluating tocotrienols role in managing a disorder called Familial Dysautonomia. This is a genetic disorder that affects the autonomic nervous system regulation of blood pressures, sweating, dizziness, blotching of skin, respiration, walking, etc. Tocotrienol support appears to be able to improve some stability of the disorder, which is very promising and remarkable. The disorder is disabling and there is no cure. The focus of this research makes me question if tocotrienols would be beneficial for other autonomic nervous system disorders like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) or neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. While no research exists, it is certainly worth a trial run for those facing problems with difficult blood pressure stabilization and heart rate stress.
Vitamin E in the alpha-tocopherol form was discovered in 1922. Decades of research occurred recognizing tocopherol forms of vitamin E which overlooked the tocotrienol forms of vitamin E until the last few decades. Research demonstrates that the tocotrienol forms of vitamin E are superior over tocopherols. Tocotrienols are the preferred form of vitamin E and provide powerful protection against cancer, neurological disorders and degeneration, obesity, mitochondria, hair loss and inflammation. It is an essential ingredient for any nutritional supplement program.
More...
Cancer
One major area that science continues to focus its efforts on is cancer prevention and the therapeutic potential of tocotrienols. This is not a new topic, as gamma tocotrienol is considered a prominent tool in the war on cancer. In the last year alone, there are some remarkable studies focusing on different types of deadly cancers and tocotrienol benefits. Tocotrienols, the unsaturated form of vitamin E, has been shown to have remarkable anti-tumor properties and actions. It is involved with cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis, anti-metastasis, NFkappa-B suppression, and protecting telomeres. Cell cycle arrest is a built-in checkpoint to help ensure the accuracy of DNA repair. Apoptosis is a tightly regulated cell-death process that cleans up damaged, old, and inappropriate cells. Angiogenesis is the development and presence of increased blood supply to cancer cells or tumors.
In the case of malignant melanoma, recent research demonstrates that tocotrienols provide an effective preventative and therapeutic treatment against this leading cause of skin cancer death. Research published earlier this summer, demonstrated that tocotrienols caused apoptosis to human melanoma cancer cells BLM and A375. Healthy skin cells were not adversely affected. Skin cell tumor growth was delayed and tumors shrunk in this animal study.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most feared deadly cancers. Recent research demonstrated preventative and anti-cancer activity of delta tocotrienols in patients with pancreatic duct cancer. The goal of the study was to evaluate its safety two weeks prior to pancreatic surgery and the day of surgery. Twenty-five patients received increasing doses of 200 to 3,200 mg daily for the two weeks prior to surgery. The majority of the patients received 400 mg to 1,600 mg daily. At this dose, it was noted that apoptosis or cancer cell death was reached in the majority of patients using 400 mg to 1,600 mg of daily dose of tocotrienols. There were no adverse side effects. This dose is an extremely high dose, but clearly the response was very favorable within just a short period of time. The scientists describe this as a very promising result for chemoprevention and/or therapy of pancreatic cancer.
Metastatic cancer or spreading of cancer is devastating. Hearing those words that the cancer has spread imparts great concern for the future of one’s life. It is the ultimate challenge in fighting cancer. A spring 2016 study commented on the effective ability of tocotrienols to suppress angiogenesis. Stopping angiogenesis changes the microenvironment of the tumor which is critical to stop the growth and spread of cancer.
Another study looked at tocotrienols and its effects on stopping breast cancer metastasis. This recent study evaluated a major target area that leads to malignancy called the HGF/Met axis. It is an area of intense study pertaining to breast cancer metastasis. In this study, evidence suggests that gamma tocotrienol therapy targeted the dysregulation of the HGF/Met axis and may provide significant benefit in the treatment of breast cancer.
The research on tocotrienols and its impact on cancer prevention and therapy is such that, researchers are evaluating ways of combining tocotrienols with chemotherapeutic agents or other dietary compounds like polyphenols. Polyphenols are plant-based nutrients found in fruits and vegetables like grape seed extract, resveratrol, quercetin, and green tea extract. Medicine is striving to find combination of natural support and lower dose drugs in efforts to reduce cancer.
Obesity and Tocotrienols
Turning the focus of tocotrienols and its effect on obesity, this opens yet another door of remarkable possibilities and results. Researchers published an animal study earlier this spring that combined tocotrienols with whey protein isolates. Their goal was to determine whether or not whey protein isolate combined with tocotrienols could improve exercise capacity and improve blood sugar management in obese rats caused by a high-fat diet. After ten weeks, exercise endurance was increased by 50 percent and was independent of body weight, obesity, or glucose tolerance.
Animal and human studies on gamma and delta tocotrienols have demonstrated several very positive effects on metabolism. Research shows that tocotrienols can reduce fat mass and body weight, reduce build up of cholesterol, triglycerides, and improve glucose and insulin function and tolerance. Recent research shows that tocotrienols can modulate the birth of new fat cells and even induce death of pre-fat or new fat cells while managing inflammation associated with obesity.
Alzheimer’s Disease, Microglial Cells, and Brain Mitochondria
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry May 2016 issue recently heralded tocotrienols in the prevention and therapy of Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia medications fail to make major differences, leaving patients and their caregivers struggling to manage this terrible disease. Research suggests that tocotrienols can provide a substantial tool for reducing the risk and progression of the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer’s disease. The unsaturated tocotrienols do this by providing powerful anti-inflammatory activity. They have been shown to block processes in the brain that contribute to the activation of microglial cells. Early research shows that it can reduce FFP and GGPP and amyloid beta protein production. These compounds lead to beta amyloid plaque build-up and Alzheimer’s disease.
Tocotrienols provide highly beneficial anti-inflammatory protection to the microglial cells of the brain. Chronic activation of microglial cells, the brain’s neuroimmune cells that clean up daily wear and tear of the brain, is like a car’s engine stuck in high gear and running low on oil. Sooner or later, the wear and tear is going to catch up and shut down function. This is a process linked to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Tocotrienols provide the support or the “antioxidant oil” that prevents the microglial cells from overheating and overworking. It also quenches immune reactivity to toxic compounds like LPS, COX-2 and PGE2/arachidonic acid.
The conversation on brain health, neuroinflammation, and tocotrienols would not be complete if there wasn’t some mention of mitochondria. Breakdown of mitochondria is intertwined with aging and neurodegeneration, especially disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Recent animal studies focused on the strategy to protect the brain and prevent neurodegeneration with the use of tocotrienols. Scientists measured several aspects of mitochondrial function and how tocotrienols protected mitochondria from aging and breakdown in the brain. According to their results, tocotrienols are a “promising nutraceutical for the prevention of age-related neurodegenerative diseases”.
There are several other avenues of study with tocotrienols not mentioned in this article, like heart, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, diabetes, bones and more. There are, however, two additional studies that deserve mention as we highlight recent information about this dominating antioxidant.
Tocotrienols Help with Hair Loss
Researchers investigated the effects of tocotrienols and hair growth in twenty-one volunteers suffering from hair loss. Tocotrienols were chosen because of their high levels of antioxidant protection. High levels of oxidative stress in the scalp and breakdown of the hair cell membranes from lipid peroxidation is associated with hair loss. Volunteers received 100 mg of mixed tocotrienols per day for eight months as opposed to the control group who received a placebo. The group who received the vitamin E supplement had a 34.5 percent increase in hair growth and numbers as opposed to the control group who had no change. The old wives’ tale that vitamin E (tocotrienols) can grow hair is indeed true!
Tocotrienols and Dysautonomia
Lastly, researchers have been evaluating tocotrienols role in managing a disorder called Familial Dysautonomia. This is a genetic disorder that affects the autonomic nervous system regulation of blood pressures, sweating, dizziness, blotching of skin, respiration, walking, etc. Tocotrienol support appears to be able to improve some stability of the disorder, which is very promising and remarkable. The disorder is disabling and there is no cure. The focus of this research makes me question if tocotrienols would be beneficial for other autonomic nervous system disorders like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) or neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. While no research exists, it is certainly worth a trial run for those facing problems with difficult blood pressure stabilization and heart rate stress.
Vitamin E in the alpha-tocopherol form was discovered in 1922. Decades of research occurred recognizing tocopherol forms of vitamin E which overlooked the tocotrienol forms of vitamin E until the last few decades. Research demonstrates that the tocotrienol forms of vitamin E are superior over tocopherols. Tocotrienols are the preferred form of vitamin E and provide powerful protection against cancer, neurological disorders and degeneration, obesity, mitochondria, hair loss and inflammation. It is an essential ingredient for any nutritional supplement program.
More...