Most everyone is familiar with Vitamin E... but did you know there are really 8 forms of Vitamin E? There are Alpha, Beta, Delta and Gamma Tocopherols - and Tocotrienols. New research shows Tocotrienols - the part missing in most vitamin formulas - may offer significant health benefits not provided by the Tocopherol found in most Vitamin E products. Tocotrienols are found primarily in high concentrations in the Annatto bean, palm fruit, barley, and wheat germ. What researchers are now discovering about this form of Vitamin E is quite amazing. 

Maintains Nervous System Health
Researchers at the Ohio State University Medical Center found that Tocotrienols help support brain health in dramatic ways, often not shown by Tocopherols. Published in the October 2005 issue of the American Heart of Association's hournal Stroke, Tocotrienols showed significant protection to the brain. 

In a previous study, Professor Chandan Sen from the OSU Medical Center showed that Tocotrienol can pass between the blood-brain barrior and in very small amounts; measured in nanomolar levels, it protects the nervous system, where Tocopherol does not. Professor Sen noted that the general misconception is that Tocopherols are the only Vitamin E molecules in nature. "Attention to the naturally occurring Tocotrienols, especially to their neuroprotective properties, could well provide us with a powerful tool to combat neurodegeneration", said Sen. 

Protects Brain Health
Scientists have also discovered that Tocotrienols can defend the nervous system. Vitamin E is essential for normal neurological function. It protects the integirty of membranes by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Orally supplemented Vtiamin E reaches the cerbrospinal fluid and brain. But when compared to Alpha Tocopherol, Tocotrienols are far more potent in protecting primary neuronal cells against toxicity induce by various elements. In addition to conferring brain health, Tocotrienols may play a role in healthy blood sugar profiles as they relate to diabetes. 

About Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Before developing full-blown diabetes, your resistance to secreting insulin increases. That means, when you take in sugar, it takes longer for your body to secrete insulin, the hormone that ushers sugar into cells to be used for energy. If not placed into cells, sugar accumulates in the blood, which is destructive. So reducing one's "insulin resistance" by way of diet or the right supplements is a desired goal. 

Tocotrienols May Keep Watch Over Blood Sugar
Researchers discovered that when lab animals were treated with Tocotrienols, it had a positive effect on insulin levels. Diabetic animals also showed better triglyceride and cholesterol profiles. Another group of researchers in India found similar effects in human study participants. The use of Tocotrienols from rich sources such as Palm Oil and Annatto beans with dietary and lifestyle modifications may also benefit cholesterol status. 

May Benefit the Immune System
Almost all of the studies of Tocotrienols confirmed their support of healthy cholesterol and nerve cell health. But a group of researchers in Spain discovered they benefit us in another profound way. They enhance the immune system. If you want to maintain robust health even during allergy season, Tocotrienols may be just what the Doctor ordered. 

May Support Cell Health and Joint Health
Drugs that prevent the formation of new blood vessels are recognized for the prevention of various disorders such as tumor growth, diabetic retinopahthy, and rheumatoid arthritis. And now, Tocotrienols, the more powerful cousin of Tocopherols (Vitamin E), are under study for their role in maintaining healthy, but not unwanted, blood vessels. Japanese researchers from the Tohuku University and Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, showed that natural full spectrum palm Tocotrienols significantly inhibited undesirable blood vessel growth. The researchers found normal blood vessels are not affected by Tocotrienols. Another interesting observation was that only Tocotrienols worked, not typical Vitamin E Tocopherol. The Japanese researchers le