Transform Your Heart Health With a Single Nutrient

Supplementing with a daily dose of vitamin E is without a doubt one of the best-known free-radical-fighting strategies at your fingertips. But what many people don’t know is that there are actually eight different forms of this antioxidant powerhouse—split into two categories, called tocopherols and tocotrienols—and that the type you take matters, especially if you’re looking to safeguard heart health in your golden years.

Consider the details of one recent study, in which two groups of healthy subjects—one between 35 and 49 years of age, and the other aged 50 or older—received a tocotrienol-rich supplement or a placebo for six months. Researchers assessed both groups for antioxidant status and lipid profiles at the beginning of the study, after three months, and at the conclusion of the study.

Results at the end of the six-month period found that levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were balanced among those subjects taking tocotrienols when compared to placebo—and that levels of protein carbonyl content, a marker that points to cellular imbalances following free radical exposure, was noticeably lower in this same group. What’s more, levels of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)—the molecules formed when sugar reacts with lipids and protein, which have been implicated in both free radical generation and unbalanced inflammatory responses—were also lower among those subjects over the age of 50 supplementing with tocotrienols.

Plasma vitamin E levels increased within three months of tocotrienol supplementation, while in subjects over 50, plasma tocotrienol levels had increased within six months. The latter group was also the only one to see any significant changes in antioxidant enzyme activity—leading the study authors to conclude that tocotrienols’ unique ability to optimize good cholesterol, AGE, and antioxidant vitamin levels may be particularly powerful for the over-50 set.¹

The bottom line: If you want the best heart health benefits that vitamin E has to offer, not just any supplement will do. Look specifically for a tocotrienol-rich form of this popular nutrient—such as CP’s Annatto Tocotrienols—for clinically demonstrated support in keeping your cholesterol in balance and AGEs at bay as you age.

Reference:

1. Chin SF, Ibahim J, Makpol S, Abdul Hamid NA, Abdul Latiff A, Zakaria Z, Mazlan M, Mohd Yusof YA, Abdul Karim A, Wan Ngah WZ. Tocotrienol Rich Fraction Supplementation Improved Lipid Profile and Oxidative Status in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Jun 24;8(1):42.