Both are characterized by a side chain which is saturated in the tocopherols, but unsaturated in the tocotrienols.
The sources with largest amount do tocotrienols include wheat, barley, rice and most abundantly the fruit of the palm from which palm oil is extracted. Palm oil is by far the richest source of tocotrienols.
Palm oil is unique because it contains both a mixture of different tocopherols (18-22%) and tocotrienols (78-82%). Alpha and gamma tocopherol each account for about 35% of total tocopherols, while gamma tocopherol accounts for about 10%. The alpha and gamma tocopherols predominate in palm oil. It was reported that 300, 500 and 860 ppm alpha, gamma and total tocopherols, respectively in palm oil.
Amongst the tocotrienols, the major ones are gamma tocotrienol (46%), alpha tocotrienol (22%) and delta tocotrienol (12%).
While tocopherols have gain most of the attention in the past, tocotrienols are emerging as the premier form of vitamins E. Recently, palm oil-derived tocotrienols have been extensively studied for their antioxidant capabilities, anti-cancer properties (for which there is strong supportive scientific evidence), as well as their ability to influence cholesterol metabolism.
Although some of the earlier studies suggested that supplementation with tocotrienols lowered cholesterol by affecting endogenous synthesis, a recent study noted no effect.
A deficiency of vitamin E can lead to degeneration of red blood cells and anemia, muscle degeneration and weakness and fibrocystic breast disease.
Vitamin E in palm oil
