TocoSorb - Mixed Tocotrienols and Vitamin E 60 mg

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• Protects Cardiovascular Functions

• Reduces the Biosynthesis of Cholesterol

• Inhibits the Oxidation of LDL Cholesterol

• Supplies 60 mg Tocotrienol Complex with Squalene and Phytosterols per Softgel

Ask most health-conscious Americans and you will find that cholesterol tops their list of health concerns. And for good reason –– heart disease, along with other circulatory diseases, remains the leading cause of death in this country. As a consequence, the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that total blood cholesterol readings should be below 199 mg/dl. Yet dietary changes, such as switching to a low-fat diet, often yield only marginal benefits in terms of reduced cholesterol levels. One study involving men with elevated blood cholesterol levels found that following a low-fat diet without adopting other measures reduced cholesterol levels by only 5–7%. Surely there must be a better way to promote healthy blood cholesterol levels naturally.

Well now there is and it’s called Tocotrienol, a close relative of vitamin E. Studies are finding that with Tocotrienol supplementation, there is a 10–13% reduction in cholesterol readings in addition to what can be achieved by following a low-fat diet is typical. For those who want to reduce their cholesterol levels naturally, these findings offer real hope. Tocotrienols also support cardiovascular circulation, promote the health of cells, and are powerful antioxidants/free radical scavengers.

What Are Tocotrienols?

Just as vitamin E is short for the tocopherol family of compounds which includes alpha-, beta-, delta- and gamma-tocopherol, there are alpha-, beta-, delta- and gamma-Tocotrienols. The Tocotrienols are structurally very similar to vitamin E, and the two classes of compounds are found together in the oils extracted from wheat, barley, rice, rye, and the fruit of the palm. Thus far, the only commercial sources of Tocotrienols are rice bran oil and palm oil, and both sources include vitamin E as well as Tocotrienols. In the following figure, the structural difference between the molecule of vitamin E and that of Tocotrienols consists solely of three double bonds found in the side chain of the Tocotrienols. This means that Tocotrienols have three unsaturated bonds available that are not found in vitamin E, which may account for the greater activity of Tocotrienols in various clinical trials. It was not until 1990 that clinical research on Tocotrienols began. Since that time a large number of trials have taken place. The consensus among scientists is that Tocotrienols have functions in the body that differ from Vitamin E and though they are not a replacement for vitamin E, they are quite useful when taken in conjunction with vitamin E.

Reducing Cholesterol and Blood “Stickiness”

Tocotrienols, primarily the gamma- and delta-Tocotrienols, have been shown to be able to reduce both total cholesterol and the potentially damaging low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol fractions. Most trials have found that Tocotrienols can significantly lower blood cholesterol levels even in subjects who have already adopted low-fat diets. In a study published in the Journal of Lipids in 1997, supplementing with 200–220 mg/day of Tocotrienols reduced cholesterol levels an additional 10–13% in four weeks in men who followed a special cholesterol-lowering diet and previously had reduced their cholesterol levels by 5–7% by implementing dietary changes alone. This indicates that the combined use of diet and Tocotrienol supplementation was able to reduce cholesterol levels by 15–20% in men with elevated readings within less than eight weeks. Tocotrienols appear to lower cholesterol levels by influencing an enzyme called 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme A reductase (HMG CoA reductase). This enzyme is responsible for the synthesis of cholesterol in the body, and it is this synthesis that accounts for roughly two thirds of all the cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol derived from the diet is responsible for, at most, only one third of the body’s total stores. Therefore, altering the actions of HMG CoA reductase to reduce the synthesis of cholesterol and to increase the elimination of cholesterol in the bile is the primary and most effective way in which blood cholesterol levels can be reduced.

Perhaps just as important as the cholesterol-lowering trials are the trials which have shown Tocotrienols to inhibit excessive blood “stickiness” (platelet aggregation) and to relieve the constriction of blood vessels to improve circulation. These factors play a major role in the growth and maintenance of lesions in the arteries.

Tocotrienols: Super Antioxidants and Cell Protectors

Because Tocotrienols are so similar to vitamin E, it is not surprising that these compounds are effective antioxidants. In the mitochondria (cellular energy furnaces) found in the brain, for instance, the Tocotrienols are actually superior to vitamin E as antioxidants and free radical scavengers. Tocotrienols reduce lipid peroxidation in blood vessels and significantly increase the activity of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Continuing studies indicate that Tocotrienols reduce the ability of unhealthy cells to grow and divide. This action supports the normal immune function of the body through which normal tissue health is maintained. In contrast, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) in trials tends to lack these particular benefits. Therefore, Tocotrienols offer significant benefits not found with vitamin E. Tocotrienol rich fractions of palm oil can be used topically to protect against the sun’s harmful UV (ultraviolet) radiation. When applied to the skin, Tocotrienols both prevent oxidative damage and help to preserve the vitamin E available to skin cells.

Getting More from Your Tocotrienols

Tocotrienol extracts, sometimes referred to as Tocotrienol rich fractions, contain tocopherols as well as Tocotrienols. Recent research has shown that an excess of the alphatocopherol form of vitamin E may block the benefits of the gamma-tocopherol form of the vitamin. The same may be true in the case of the Tocotrienols. i.e., the uptake of the more active gamma- and delta-Tocotrienols may be influenced by an imbalanced intake of tocopherols. This suggests that Tocotrienols should be supplemented when additional alpha-tocopherol is added to the diet.

TOCO-SORB™ is a molecular distillate of the oil from palm fruit. It provides the most potent and comprehensive Tocotrienol complex. Palm oil Tocotrienol rich fractions contain seven times as much delta-Tocotrienol as do rice bran sources. Delta-Tocotrienol appears to be particularly beneficial in promoting cell and tissue health with regard to the regulation of cellular regeneration. In contrast, the gamma-Tocotrienol component appears to be more directed toward supporting healthy blood lipids, although delta-Tocotrienols are important in supporting this function as well.

Usage And Safety

Take 1 to 2 softgels per day with a meal, or as directed by your qualified health consultant.

SELECTED REFERENCES

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Source: Jarrow Formulas