Vitamin E supplements - tocotrienol and tocopherol
Vitamin E is an important ingredient to our health. It is a substance necessary for proper body and brain function. It is one of the key nutrients for our body which keeps our heart healthy and helps us to stay fit. It can dissolve fats and oils and is found in seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables and vegetable oils. Vitamin E nurtures our immunity system and helps to protect cells from the damage caused by the free radicals. Free radicals means the compounds which is when the food we eat is being converted by our bodies into energy.
There are two types of vitamin E supplements which are also very important to maintain our lives in a healthy manner. These are the nutrients which are extracted from vitamin E and have the same ability to cure heart health and so. The two supplements are i) tocotrienol and tocopherol. These two plays an essential part in reducing fat, cholesterol and balancing heart health. We’ll get to know about these two supplements below.
i) Tocotrienol :- Tocotrienol has many different effects in our body. It improves heart health, reduces cholesterol levels. Tocotrienols also seem to benefit people with a genetic disorder called familial dysautonomia by increasing levels of a certain protein in blood cells. It also may help fight free radical damage to the gastrointestinal system. Helps to reduce cancer, prevents osteoporosis, improves hair and skin health.
Good sources include :- Vegetable oils which provide the best sources of these vitamin E forms, particularly palm oil and rice bran oil contain higher amounts of tocotrienols. Other sources of tocotrienols include grapefruit seed oil, oats, hazelnuts, maize, olive oil, buckthorn berry, rye, flaxseed oil, poppy seed oil and sunflower oil. These all are the main foods which provide tocotrienol in a large amount in our body.
The four forms of tocotrienol are alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocotrienol. Each type behaves differently, offering a wide range of health benefits.
ii) Tocopherol :- Tocopherol or alpha - tocopherol is the most biologically active form of vitamin E. It is a chemical compound which belongs to the vitamin E family. It also has antioxidants. Tocopherol's antioxidant properties not only help protect your skin, but also help to protect products by acting as a preservative and preventing natural oils like coconut and jojoba from going rancid.
Good sources include :- It has an appropriate amount of antioxidants in it. Foods that contain tocopherol or alpha - tocopherol are nuts, seeds and vegetable oils. Also found in green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals. The highest sources of tocopherol are found in sunflower seeds, almonds, almond butter, hazelnuts and pine nuts as well as pistachios, black walnuts, sesame seeds, English walnuts, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds.
The difference between these two supplements is the tocopherols are saturated forms of vitamin E, whereas the tocotrienols are unsaturated and possess an isoprenoid side chain. Tocopherols have a saturated tail, while the latter have an unsaturated tail. Within tocopherols and tocotrienols, the difference between the different forms is the position of the methyl groups on the ring.
