Vitamin E is considered a workhorse of nutrients. Vitamin E family comprises four tocopherols (alpha, beta, delta, gamma) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma). Tocotrienols are superior anti-oxidants as compared to tocotrienols due to the chemical structural difference. Three unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds in their isoprenoid side chain help them easily penetrate through the cell membrane with high mobility and maximum absorption.
Though different analogs of Vitamin E don’t have the same Vitamin E equivalence, all act as chemical antioxidants.
Tocotrienols – The Golden Nectar
Tocotrienols are present in many vegetables and fruits naturally. Palm oil is a rich source of tocotrienols primarily alpha, gamma, and delta tocotrienols. About 70% of the Vitamin E in palm oil is tocotrienol, which is associated with many health benefits. Tocotrienols fight dangerous free radicals, improve brain health, and have neuroprotective properties.
Of the high Vitamin contents, the “Palm Oil based tocotrienols is a nature’s gift for the human beings”. Several studies have shown that tocotrienols possess unique biological properties to alpha-tocopherol.
At Palm International Nutra-Cosmeceutical Conference (PINC 2017), speakers emphasized recent breakthroughs in palm tocotrienols research and the current clinical practices with palm tocotrienols for disease management.
OWhat are the Common uses of Tocotrienol?
Tocotrienols for skin health
Vitamin E is essential for maintaining healthy skin, but UV light exposure and pollution can lower the skin’s Vitamin E content. As we age, Vitamin E levels also naturally decrease.
- Tocotrienols reduce wrinkles, oxidative stress, and pigmentation
- Gives younger-looking, radiant skin
- Acts as an anti-aging, improve skins elasticity and moisture
- Essential ingredient in cosmetics formulations for scar reduction, skin lightening, and acceleration of wound healing
Tocotrienols for hair health
- Nourishes the scalp by reducing oxidative stress and dandruff.
- Increases hair number and hair growth when supplemented with oral doses.
- Keeps hair shiny and healthy.
- Prevents graying of hair.
Tocotrienols for bone and Muscle Health
- Improves bone volume and thickness and reduces bone porosity.
- Helps in maintaining bone structure and strength.
- Palm tocotrienols show a protective effect against osteoporosis.
- Beneficial in improving muscle degeneration in muscular diseases and aging
Tocotrienols for Neuro health
- Palm tocotrienols rich in alpha tocotrienol expresses neuroprotective properties not shared by other isomers.
- Protects neurons with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Oral supplementation of palm oil–derived alpha tocotrienol reaches the brain in sufficient quantity to attenuate stroke-mediated neuropathy.
Tocotrienols for Cardiac health
- Helps protect against atherosclerosis.
- Helps lower blood cholesterol and maintain a healthy lipid profile within our body.
- Help protect the structural integrity of blood vessels.
- Helps lower blood pressure
Tocotrienols in the food industry
- Acts as a shelf-life enhancer.
- Improvement in taste and color.
- Improvement in the appearance and texture of the product.
- Strong antioxidant for food
Tocotrienols for liver health and diabetes
- Showed significant improvement when used in treating Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
- Tocotrienol-enriched palm oil has been shown to help reduce blood glucose levels in patients and preclinical animal models.
Tocotrienols as an anti-cancer agent
Tocotrienols particularly gamma and delta, possess properties that antagonize tumors and cancers within the body, by suppressing their growth and triggering their health that too without harming healthy cells in the body.
- Possesses multiple anti-cancer characteristics.
- Can prevent the occurrence of breast tumors.
- Induces death of skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, liver, and colon cancer.
Compared to tocopherols, tocotrienols are required in lower amounts and show far superior anti-oxidant activities. The value of tocotrienols lies in their multiple and potent benefits.
Besides its function related to its antioxidant properties, tocotrienols also exhibit other biological properties such as neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol-lowering effects.
Conclusion
Nowadays, Tocotrienols – a family of Vitamin E are emerging to be more productive than tocopherols.
