Bioactive Alpha Tocopherol
Vitamin E is a group of 8 different compounds: 4 tocopherols and 4 tocotrienols, each distinguished by the prefix alpha, beta, gamma or delta.
Of all forms of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol has the highest bioactivity. It is also the only form recognised as fulfilling vitamin E requirements in humans; all other forms of vitamin E are measured against alpha-tocopherol.
Due to the body's transport proteins' preferance of alpha-tocopherol, this form is dominant in the blood. Liver metabolism also primarily releases alpha-tocopherol into the bloodstream, while other forms are only partially metabolised.
The molecule alpha-tocopherol occurs in several geometric variants. Natural alpha-tocopherol always takes the form of RRR-alpha-tocopherol (formerly referred to as D-alpha-tocopherol), and only this form exhibits the desired biological effects on the body. Synthetic vitamin E, typically a combination of various isomers, is less bioavailable and bioactive. Our capsules provide only natural, bioactive RRR-alpha-tocopherol.
Just like natural foods, which always contain a mixture of different tocopherols and tocotrienols, this natural vitamin E complex contains all 7 other forms of vitamin E in addition to alpha-tocopherol. This is important because all forms of vitamin E have independent properties and are not interchangeable; even though alpha-tocopherol is the most important dietary form of vitamin E, recent developments in vitamin E research show that the other tocopherols and tocotrienols have many completely independent properties – each vitamin E compound fulfils its own special tasks. A supplement which supplies all forms of vitamin E thus best corresponds to the natural vitamin E intake of humans.
Health Benefits of Vitamin E
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), vitamin E contributes to:
- The protection of cells against oxidative stress
