|
Tocotrienols make up one of the two groups of molecules belonging
to the vitamin E family; the other group is known as the
tocopherols. Tocotrienols and tocopherols are referred to as tocols
by some in the medical research field. Just as there are four
natural tocopherols, alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol,
there are also four natural tocotrienols, alpha-, beta-, gamma- and
delta-tocotrienol.
Medicinal indications and benefits of
tocotrienols are basically the same as those for vitamin E. Like
vitamin E, tocotrienols are effective antioxidants
against lipid peroxidation (the damaging of fats by oxidation).
However, tocotrienols may be more or less potent than vitamin E
under certain conditions, but more research is required to better
understand the exact difference between tocotrienols and vitamin
E.
In addition to the antioxidant properties that they
possess, tocotrienols help to maintain a healthy cardiovascular
system protecting against hardening of the arteries
(atherosclerosis) by preventing oxidative damage to LDL
cholesterol.
Animal and test tube studies indicate that
trocotrienols may also be useful in protecting against certain types
of cancer such as breast cancer and skin cancer. However, these
findings need confirmation in human studies.
Dosage
Recommendations
A typical recommendation is 140 to
360 mg per day, although many researches have used 200 mg daily in
their studies.
|
