Form Comparison

Mixed Tocopherols vs Tocotrienols

How mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.

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Quick verdict. Mixed tocopherols are the better general vitamin E supplement: natural alpha, plus gamma and delta, close to the food profile. Tocotrienols, mostly from palm or annatto, are poorly retained in plasma and have minimal human outcome data. Choose mixed tocopherols, and add tocotrienols only if you accept paying for speculation.

Side by Side

Mixed Tocopherols Tocotrienols
Absorption High Low
How it is absorbed Alpha plus substantial gamma- and delta-tocopherol, closer to the mix in food. The liver still retains mainly alpha. Unsaturated side chain; poorly retained in plasma because the transfer protein favors alpha-tocopherol.
Typical dose Per product Per product
Common uses general supplementation marketed for heart and brain health
Side effects Bleeding risk at high doses. Few reported.
Cost Moderate High
Also called natural mixed tocopherols palm tocotrienols, annatto tocotrienols
Labels in index 316 190

When to Choose Mixed Tocopherols

Choose mixed tocopherols when you want vitamin E closer to its form in food. Avoids the drop in gamma-tocopherol that alpha-only supplements cause. Labels should state each tocopherol.

Mixed Tocopherols

Closer to vitamin E as it occurs in food, and avoids lowering gamma-tocopherol.

What to look for: Each tocopherol listed with its amount; alpha-tocopherol near the RDA.

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When to Choose Tocotrienols

There is rarely a reason to choose tocotrienols. Mostly from palm or annatto. Human outcome data are minimal.

Tocotrienols

There is rarely a reason to choose tocotrienols.

What to look for: Tocotrienols named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.

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Products on Titrate

In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 316 labels named as vitamin E products list mixed tocopherols and 190 list tocotrienols.

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Vitamin E does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.

Related

References

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.

The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group. The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. N Engl J Med. 1994;330(15):1029-1035.

Huang HY, Appel LJ. Supplementation of diets with alpha-tocopherol reduces serum concentrations of gamma- and delta-tocopherol in humans. J Nutr. 2003;133(10):3137-3140.

Miller ER 3rd, Pastor-Barriuso R, Dalal D, Riemersma RA, Appel LJ, Guallar E. Meta-analysis: high-dosage vitamin E supplementation may increase all-cause mortality. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142(1):37-46.

Lonn E, Bosch J, Yusuf S, et al. Effects of long-term vitamin E supplementation on cardiovascular events and cancer: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005;293(11):1338-1347.

Sesso HD, Buring JE, Christen WG, et al. Vitamins E and C in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in men: the Physicians' Health Study II randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;300(18):2123-2133.

Sanyal AJ, Chalasani N, Kowdley KV, et al. Pioglitazone, vitamin E, or placebo for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. N Engl J Med. 2010;362(18):1675-1685.

Klein EA, Thompson IM Jr, Tangen CM, et al. Vitamin E and the risk of prostate cancer: the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA. 2011;306(14):1549-1556.