Tocotrienols Support Cholesterol Balancing

A new study indicates that tocotrienols, naturally occurring forms of vitamin E, promote healthy cholesterol levels. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in 8 forms, including both tocopherols and tocotrienols.

This randomized, double-blind study investigated the role of tocotrienols on cholesterol levels in 32 subjects with imbalanced cholesterol. The subjects received either 300 mg daily of mixed tocotrienols or a placebo of soybean oil for 6 months. The subjects were evaluated for serum cholesterol levels and tocotrienol and tocopherol concentrations at the beginning of the study and each month during the study period.

The results of the study showed that tocotrienol supplementation significantly affected normal serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol metabolism compared to the placebo after 4 months of supplementation and continuing until study completion. In addition, there was a 22-fold increase in serum concentration of total tocotrienols in the group supplemented with tocotrienols compared to levels at the beginning of the study. Alpha-tocopherol was only modestly increased in the group supplemented with tocotrienols. The placebo group did not show any significant changes in serum cholesterol, total tocotrienol and alpha tocopherol concentrations.

The researchers concluded that supplementation with mixed tocotrienols at doses of 300 mg per day resulted in balanced serum total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Reference:

Yuen, KH, Wong JW, Lim AB, Ng BH, Choy W P. Effect of Mixed-Tocotrienols in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects. Functional Foods in Health and Disease. 2011 Mar 31;(3)106-17.