Vitamin E is a collective term used for a group of chemically similar compounds. All forms of Vitamin E are related with each being fat soluble and possessing antioxidant capabilities. The Vitamin E family contains two subgroups, tocopherols and tocotrienols, each of which can be found in four separate molecular forms (alpha-, beta-, gama-, and delta-). This short article will explain the differences between the two subgroups of Vitamin E: tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Both tocopherol and tocotrienol molecules have a "head" section and a "tail" section. The composition of the head section determines whether vitamin E is in its alpha, beta, delta, or gamma form. The head section is also the location of the vitamin’s antioxidant activity. All vitamin E molecules have the same type of head, meaning they are all antioxidants, but to varying effectiveness.

The tail section identifies the molecule as either tocopherol or tocotrienol. Tocopherols have longer tails without double bonds - meaning that their tails are more rigid. This leads to a very immobile molecule that is confined to a localized area of the cell membrane. The tocotrienols, on the other hand, have shorter tails comprised of three double bonds. This means that tocotrienols have much more flexible tails which ultimately creates a very mobile molecule capable of protecting a large surface area of the cell membrane.

Dr. Barrie Tan, the foremost expert on Vitamin E research, makes the analogy of tocopherols being like the local police. They have antioxidant activity which allows them to catch the "bad guys" (free radicals), but are limited in the distance they can travel along the cell membrane because of their rigid tails (much like how local police can only act in their jurisdiction). Tocotrienols, on the other hand, are able to catch free radicals in a much larger area because they are anchored down less than their tocopherol brothers. This makes them the "state troopers" of the Vitamin E family. It is this mobility that gives tocotrienols approximately 50x the antioxidant ability of tocopherols.

Up until recently, most of the studies done on Vitamin E were that of tocopherol, especially alpha-tocopherol. Even most of the vitamin E supplements in the market are made mainly of alpha-tocopherols. A fury of Vitamin E studies began in the 1980’s when it was theorized that Vitamin E possesed cholesterol lowering abilities. Most of the studies were conducted on tocopherols, however, which actually was shown to increase one’s cholesterol when given in high doses. These findings took Vitamin E out of the limelight for a while until recently when more attention was given to the other form of Vitamin E: tocotrienols.

Unlike tocopherols, tocotrienols have been shown to have cholesterol lowering abilities in addition to its antioxidant capabilities. In fact, the pressence of tocopherols somehow interferes with the function of tocotrienols. Up until recently, the main natural sources of Vitamin E were rice and palm oil. Since these sources contained a significant percentage of both forms of the vitamin, it was difficult for researchers to study the full effects of tocotrienol Vitamin E. This was until Dr. Barrie Tan discovered that the annatto plant contained 99% tocotrienol and only 0.1-0.2% of tocopherol making it the purest known source of tocotrienol on the planet.

Studies of tocotrienols are now being conducted in earnest. Much of the excitement that faded away from the disappointing results from tocopherol studies has returned due to the potential of tocotrienols. In addition to being an antioxidant, tocotrienols have been demonstrated to lower cholesterol, help manage diabetes, reduce the risk of certain cancers, and have certain brain benefits.