Detoxing from dogmatic dietitian education and attitudes for a mind wide open
But first, “you must unlearn what you have learned” YODA
Not all vitamin E is created equal.
You’ve of course heard of vitamin E but you may not know that vitamin E isn’t a single nutrient like vitamin C is. In fact, vitamin E refers to a family of eight similar, yet structurally different molecules, or isomers.
There are four fat-soluble tocopherols: alpha, beta, gamma and delta, and four fat-soluble tocotrienols: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.
Historically, vitamin E has only referred to as alpha-tocopherol and has been THE form of vitamin E in supplements. To complicate matters more, two versions have been used, one natural and one synthetic which has problems in an of itself.
But there’s another half to the vitamin E story, tocotrienols. Although tocotrienols are structurally similar to tocopherols, each of the eight molecules has slightly different properties. Like a big family with several kids, each sibling has their own strengths and weaknesses. The same goes with tocotrienols, each one behaves differently, and the group of four offer different benefits.
Experts believe that tocotrienols, such as annatto tocotrienols have many health benefits — some that are even more powerful than those found in the more common tocopherols. These include improved brain health and functionality, anticancer activity, improved skin health, lower degrees of inflammation, and more.
In this episode, Dr. Barrie Tan, the world’s leading authority on all things vitamin E, breaks it all down for us and makes it clear why focusing on tocotrienols is the way to go for optimizing health.
More about Dr. Barrie Tan
Dr. Barrie Tan is hailed as a trailblazer and the world’s foremost expert on vitamin E, credited with discovering tocotrienol in three major natural sources: Palm, Rice, and Annatto.
A scientist first and foremost, Dr. Tan earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry/Biochemistry from the University of Otago, New Zealand and spent several years as a professor at UMass. Today, his research focuses on lipid-soluble nutrients that reduce and slow chronic conditions.
Connect with Dr. Tan
Some great tocotrienol (vitamin E) resources by Dr Tan
The Truth about Vitamin E_Dr Barrie Tan
Vitamin E. A closer look at tocotrienols. Barrie Tan PhD
Annatto. Deriving tocotrienols from Amazonia. Barrie Tan PhD
Other research on tocotrienols
Tocotrienols – Effects in aging and disease
The Science Behind Vitamin E Tocotrienols_White_paper
EVNol SuperBio_Tocol_whitepaper
Parmacological potential of tocotrienols – a review
Pervez – Tocotrienol Effects on NASH 2020
Pervez – Delta T3 and Fatty Liver 2018
Jakobsen – Delta T3 Ovarian Cancer Trial 2019
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Doug Cook RDN is a Toronto based integrative and functional nutritionist and dietitian with a focus on brain and mental health and antiaging nutrition. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.