Vitamin E (in my humble opinion) is one of the most misunderstood nutrients out there. Here are a few helpful facts about the different forms of vitamin E that are intended both to educate you on this important nutrient and make you more interesting to talk to at parties. Enjoy!

• There is a huge difference between natural and synthetic vitamin E, and most supplement companies do not clearly label whether you are buying natural or synthetic versions. To be sure you are buying natural vitamin E, turn the bottle around and look for d-alpha tocopherol, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate, or d-alpha tocopheryl succinate on the label. Synthetic vitamin E carries the prefix “dl”.
• While your body can use both natural and synthetic vitamin E, natural vitamin E contains the molecular form that is most efficiently used. It takes three times as much synthetic vitamin E to achieve the blood levels achieved by natural and your body gets rid of synthetic vitamin E three times faster than natural.
• “Vitamin E” actually covers an entire family of antioxidants: four tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-) and four tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-). Alpha-tocopherol is the most commonly found supplemental form of vitamin E because it is the form that is actively maintained in large quantities by the body and therefore appears to have the most significance to human health.
• Gamma-tocopherol, the form of vitamin E that is maintained in the second largest quantities in the body, has been found to have potent antioxidant qualities in test tube studies but its specific function in the human body is still not completely clear. A 2000 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that increased blood levels of alpha-tocopherol and adequate tissue levels of selenium significantly reduced the risk for developing prostate cancer but only when blood levels of gamma-tocopherol were also high.
• Vitamin E in all forms can effectively decrease blood clotting by platelets—an important benefit in the prevention of heart attack and stroke, but this also makes it an extremely important thing to communicate to your doctor prior to taking vitamin E if you are on blood thinners or are planning to undergo surgery.

For more information on vitamin E, including dosage, food sources, and vitamin E’s role in cardiovascular health, prevention of cataracts, diabetes, and other interesting interactions please see the Linus Pauling Micronutrient Information Center’s entry on vitamin E.

Study reference: Helzlsouer, et. Al. “Association between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, selenium, and subsequent prostate cancer.” J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000 Dec 20;92(24):2018-23.

Related posts:

1. The Truth about Vitamin E and Prostate Cancer
2. The Importance of Vitamin D
3. Vitamin D and Depression
4. Vitamin C and Your Healthy Heart
5. Aging, Antioxidants, and Sun Exposure