When we think of vitamin E, a lot of us focus on what it can do for skin health. Protecting the skin is just one of the ways that certain kinds of vitamin E can support you on your Breast Health journey. However, years of cutting edge research by Dr. Barrie Tan and others has shown that tocotrienols in particular have the ability to protect and heal the body in ways that are more than just skin deep.

Tocopherols and Tocotrienols

Chemically, vitamin E is made up of 8 different, but similar, molecules. Four of these are tocopherols (alpha, beta, delta and gamma) and the other four are tocotrienols (again- alpha, beta, delta and gamma).

Do a quick search at your local health food store or online and you will find that most vitamin E supplements come in the form of tocopherols, or more specifically a substance called Alpha-tocopheryl acetate.

This form of vitamin E can be extracted naturally or made synthetically using petroleum products (synthetic versions are signified by the “dl” symbol on product packaging). According to conventional sources, tocopheryl acetate holds up best under stressful conditions such as heat and light. Interpretation? This form of E has the best shelf life, which means it is best suited for the needs of the manufacturers who produce it.

It may not be the best form of vitamin E for your health, however. And that is exactly what new research by Dr. Barrie Tan, the world’s leading expert on vitamin E, is discovering. For decades, Dr. Tan has studied vitamin E’s role in human health. And he has made some pretty amazing discoveries along the way.

We will be going through some of Dr. Tan’s findings next. In addition, if you haven’t had a chance to listen to my April 2020 interview with Dr. Barrie Tan, I highly recommend it!

What Research Says about Tocotrienols

Thanks in large part to Dr. Tan’s research, we now understand that  “not all vitamin Es are alike.” Dr. Tan discovered

that the other half of the vitamin E compound—the tocotrienols—are significantly more effective for human health because they carry a greater antioxidant load than tocopherols do.

“Over 90% of oxidation protection must come from either tocotrienols or tocopherols,” Dr. Tan says on his website. “Tocotrienols are the better choice as they have been shown to provide 40-60 times more protection than tocopherols, especially delta-tocotrienols.”

Dr. Tan also he made it his quest to search out the best source of tocotrienols on the planet. He eventually found it in the tropical plant annatto. Unlike other common sources of vitamin E such as palm and rice, annatto contain very small amounts of tocopherols (less than 10%). This is good news since his research also found that alpha-tocopherols may actually interfere with the benefits that can be derived from tocotrienols.  

Annatto-Derived Tocotrienols and Your Healthy Breast Journey

What tocotrienols are able to do for cancer healing and prevention is perhaps the most exciting benefit of them all.  Unlike tocopherols, tocotrienols are able to effect cancer cells and cancer growth processes directly. Tocotrienols instigate apoptosis, or cancer cell death, mostly through targeting the NF-KAPPA B protein. According to a 2019 report published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, tocotrienols can also stop cancer angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels to cancer tumors).

To date, tocotrienols have been proven effective in this regard for ovarian, breast, lung, prostate, liver, colon and skin cancer. A 2013 Italian study looked at annatto-derived tocotrienol on HER2-positive mammary tumors. They found that the compound “delayed the development of mammary tumors, reducing the number and size of mammary tumor masses and those of lung metastases.”

Tocotrienols also help prevent cancer as well. According to Dr. Tan, tocotrienols contain very unique phytonutrient mechanisms that allows it to “mop up” free radicals at a rate 50 times greater than its cousin, tocopherol.

In addition, tocotrienols regulate inflammatory responses. Inflammation is a factor in just about every dis-ease condition, including Breast Cancer. Annatto tocotrienols have been shown to significantly lower C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels. C Reactive Protein is a common systemic inflammation marker. High levels can be an indication of disease processes at work.

Other Ways Tocotrienols Can Help

Besides preventing and healing cancer, tocotrienols may be able to help you in several other ways.

It can lend support to the liver.

A randomized clinical trial published in Nutrition Journal found that 2000 mg of tocotrienols taken twice daily helped non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients normalize their liver tissue after one year of use (compared to a placebo group). Other studies found that tocotrienols may help delay progression of end-stage liver disease as well.

Heart health is another area where tocotrienols can be of assistance.

Tocotrienols have been shown to lower total cholesterol levels and LDL better than tocopherols in studies that go back to the 1990’s. A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 2005 with type II diabetes patients found that daily intake led to a total reduction in total serum lipid levels of 42% after 60 days.

Tocotrienols can help with brain function.

Low vitamin E levels in general have long been associated with cognitive impairment and age-related neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s. A study conducted in 2016 at Georgia State University is just one of many that have made the connection between tocotrienols and a lower risk of Alzheimer’s. The Georgia study also hypothesized that tocotrienols may be beneficial for Alzheimer’s Disease in the treatment phase as well. 

And finally, vitamin E is also a very powerful skin protectant.

In fact, research has discovered that tocotrienols are able to noticeable reduce the signs of aging on the skin. A 2012 study at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that tocotrienols were able to suppress the progression of skin cancer by “targeting multiple cell signaling pathways.” Vitamin E in general has long been known as a rapid wound healer and a substance that can help to soothe some of the most concerning skin conditions.

Annatto-Derived Tocotrienols in Your Toolbox? You Bet!

The ways in which this little-known form of vitamin E can help the body really are incredible. And it is equally as surprising that not that many people know about it!

If you are looking for a high-quality tocotrienol-based vitamin E product, consider 7 Essentials System™ Super E Plus. Super E Plus is Dr. Tan’s formula, is tocopherol-free and contains 100% tocotrienols (delta and gamma) sourced from annatto pods only.

However you obtain it, now that you know the real deal when it comes to vitamin E and the benefits of tocotrienols for your Healthy Breast journey, can you really ever go back to store-bought tocopherol-based (and possibly synthetically-created) versions?

Seek out only the best for your health and the health of your family and consider including annatto-based vitamin E tocotrienols in you healing toolbox today!

 

 

Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V, is the founder of The 7 Essentials System ™, a step-by-step guide that teaches you exactly how to prevent and heal Breast Cancer Naturally. To get your F.R.E.E. 7-day mini e-course, and to receive her weekly action steps and inspiring articles on the power of Natural Medicine, visit https://breastcancerconqueror.com.