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The best vitamin E products contain all eight members of the vitamin E family – tocopherols plus tocotrienols – in their natural (and preferably) unesterified form. Such products are listed below. For your convenience they are grouped in several categories. More

The best vitamin E products contain all eight members of the vitamin E family - tocopherols plus tocotrienols - in their natural form. Unfortunately there are only a handful of such products on the market. The following information will help you choose the right products. More






Choosing the Right Vitamin E Products

By Andreas M. Papas, Ph.D.

Andreas M. Papas, Ph.D. -


Choosing the right product

There is a plethora of vitamin E products in the stores and on the Internet. Unfortunately there is famine in the midst of plenty. Precious few products incorporate the latest science! This will change gradually but, for now, finding the right product for you requires some effort. Most products contain only alpha-tocopherol and often the synthetic form. There is much more to vitamin E than alpha-tocopherol.

The best vitamin E products contain all eight members of the vitamin E family - tocopherols plus tocotrienols - in their natural form. Unfortunately there are only a handful of such products on the market. The information below will help you choose the right products.

The one minute summary

  1. Eight compounds make up the vitamin E family. We thought only one was important. We were wrong. Only the full vitamin E team assures full benefit!

  2. Good food sources of the vitamin E team are vegetable oils, nuts, grains and legumes. Wheat germ and wheat germ oil are excellent sources.

  3. If you are convinced, as I am, that the benefits of vitamin E are real, then you need more vitamin E that you can get from your diet.

  4. Choose products that contain the vitamin E team, natural tocopherols plus tocotrienols. Consider which level may be appropriate for you.

  • The adequate level - the 100/100 system: Take 100 IU plus 100 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. For healthy young adults with no family history of chronic disease.

  • The medium level - the 200/200 system: Take 200 IU plus 200 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. For young adults with some risk factors and healthy people without risk factors up to 50 years old.

  • The high, yet very safe dose - the 400/400 system: Take 400 IU plus 400 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. This is the level for people that, because of their family history for chronic disease, level of stress, diet and other factors want to take a higher level. For people with family history of chronic disease such as Alzheimer's and for the elderly even higher levels may be appropriate.  

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Getting to know the vitamin E family


Eight compounds make up the vitamin E family. We thought only one was important. We were wrong! Only the full vitamin E team assures full benefit!

EIGHT IS ENOUGH

Some vitamins consist of a single compound. Other vitamins consist of more than one compounds but the body converts the others to a single form. For example our body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A. Not so for vitamin E!

Eight different compounds, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols make up the vitamin E family. Our food contains all eight compounds. Not so most vitamin E supplements! They contain only alpha-tocopherol.

HELLO, my name is....

First the tocopherols: Their first names are the four letters of the Greek alphabet:
alpha-tocopherol
beta-tocopherol
gamma-tocopherol
delta-tocopherol.

Tocotrienols
also have the same Greek first names.
alpha-tocotrienol
beta-tocotrienol
gamma-tocotrienol
delta-tocotrienol.

Are the differences of the eight members of the vitamin E family a big deal? Real big deal. The eight members of the vitamin E family have some functions that are similar and other functions that are completely different. The team works better than the alpha-tocopherol alone because it provides the full spectrum of benefits.

Vitamin E is an indispensable member of the body's antioxidant system. But that's not all. Vitamin E has other functions, some completely unrelated to its role as an antioxidant. The advantage of using the whole family of vitamin E compounds is one of the main themes of The vitamin E Factor book. They are discussed in many of the chapters.. Here is a sampling of the evidence:

Tocotrienols:

  • Scientists are finding that tocotrienols slow down a liver enzyme that plays a key role in the synthesis of cholesterol. Tocopherols have no such effect!

  • A clinical study in humans indicates that a mixture of tocopherols and tocotrienols not only slowed down narrowing of carotid arteries but in forty percent of the patients appeared to reverse the condition!

Gamma-tocopherol:

  • Gamma-tocopherol, not alpha, is the effective form for fighting nitrogen radicals. These radicals are major culprits in arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS) and diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's.

  • A metabolic product of gamma-tocopherol, code-named LLU-alpha, appeared to be a natriuretic factor (the secret code LLU is for Loma Linda University - the site of this research.) This factor, probably as part of a system, may affect how much fluid and electrolytes pass through the kidney to the urine. As such, it could play a major role for blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and cirrhosis of the liver. The corresponding metabolite of alpha-tocopherol was not active!

Straight talk from Andreas:

You are the coach! You have a team with a great quarterback. The quarterback is also your star player. You are facing a formidable opposing team at full-strength. Would you put on the field the quarterback alone without the rest of the team?

Yet that's what is happening. Today, if we walk into a health food store, a pharmacy or your neighborhood supermarket, we find mostly vitamin E supplements, that contain only alpha-tocopherol. And our cereals are fortified only with alpha-tocopherol.

So what is wrong with that? We are missing very important benefits because we are not using the full vitamin E team.

 For all the evidence please see chapter 2 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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 International Unit (IU)-What it does not tell you!


The IU does not tell you whether you are getting the vitamin E team. And it does not tell you whether the alpha-tocopherol is natural or synthetic or whether it is esterified.

Ask how much vitamin E your friends take. If they do take vitamin E supplements they will have a quick answer! I take 400 IU or I take 100 IU etc. Most vitamin E products are sold on this basis.

IU was meant to be the vitamin E currency. That would bring on the same basis all forms whether natural d-alpha-tocopherol or synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol or their acetate or succinate esters. Unfortunately, it was born when it was thought that alpha-tocopherol was all of vitamin E.

How good a reading it is? Very poor, to put it mildly. There is a lot that the IU does not tell us. Specifically, the IU does not tell us whether:

  1. The product has tocopherols other than alpha-tocopherol or tocotrienols.

  2. The alpha-tocopherol is natural or synthetic.

  3. The alpha-tocopherol is esterified.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council scrapped the IU and replaced it with the alpha-tocopherol equivalent (alpha-TE). One alpha-TE is one milligram of natural d-alpha-tocopherol. In contrast IU is one milligram of synthetic dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate. It also allowed credit for beta and gamma-tocopherols and alpha-tocotrienols for foods only, not supplements. More details are available in APPENDIX of The vitamin E Factor book.

Old habits die very hard. The IU is still the industry standard in the United States and many other countries. It will not go away any time soon. The alpha-TE on the label does not tell us much more than the IU. For this reason we have to read the label more carefully to find if it is natural or synthetic, ester or no ester or whether all the members of the vitamin E team are in there.

Being able to record the exact amounts of compounds in a mixture rather than using the vague term "vitamin E activity" has clear advantages. -Dr. Lester Packer, Scientific American March/April 1994

 

Straight talk from Andreas:

  • Vitamin E is a family of 8 compounds - they work best as a team. We can enjoy the full benefit of vitamin E if we use the whole vitamin E team.

  • Yet the great majority of vitamin E supplements supply only alpha-tocopherol. And only alpha-tocopherol is used to fortify foods.

  • The IU tells how much alpha-tocopherol is in the product. It does not tell you whether the product contains any of the other members of the vitamin E team. And it does not tell you whether the alpha-tocopherol is natural or synthetic or whether it is esterified.

Look beyond the IU - read the label. Look on the ingredient list if the product contains the other tocopherols and tocotrienols. Also look for natural d-alpha-tocopherol instead of the synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol

For all the evidence please see chapter 2 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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Why natural vitamin E is better


The differences are big and very real! Only alpha-tocopherol is made as synthetic

Natural doesn't mean much when it comes to vitamins, with vitamin E probably the only exception.... -The New York Times, February 3, 1993

The results indicated that natural Vitamin E has roughly twice the availability of synthetic Vitamin E. - Dr. Graham W. Burton, National Research Council of Canada


THE DIFFERENCE IS LARGE AND VERY REAL

Getting over the emotional part: Most vitamins are produced as synthetic. Except for what is in our food most of the vitamins used to make nutritional supplements (capsules, tablets, etc.) are synthetic. Ditto for those used to fortify our cereals, milk, and other foods. Is there anything wrong with that? For most vitamins NO. The synthetic molecules look and behave exactly the same as the ones present in our food.

Not so for alpha-tocopherol.
There is difference in the molecule
There is difference in its potency
There is difference how it behaves in our body
There is major difference how it goes from the mother to the baby in the womb
The real difference is higher than we thought before

The crux of the difference: The d-alpha-tocopherol in our food, the natural form, is a single entity (all molecules are identical). In contrast, the synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol is a mixture of eight different molecular entities known in the chemical jargon as stereoisomers. Of these eight, only one is identical to the natural form. The other seven do not exist in nature.

Is this a big deal? It can be very big deal!

An example: You may have heard about amino acids. They are the building blocks of protein. Amino acids are used for intravenous feeding of patients and in nutritional products for some patients and for body builders. Some amino acids can be made in two forms identical in size and every other respect, except one form is mirror image of the other. Our body recognizes and uses only one form. The other form is not used at all and it can be harmful.

Fortunately for alpha-tocopherol things are not as gloomy. Synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol is not harmful. But its value to our body is only half of the natural. Even less for feeding the baby in the mother's womb. The evidence is very new and strong!

Straight talk and recommendations from Andreas:

The discussion about natural and synthetic alpha-tocopherol is not an emotional issue! There is difference in the molecule, in the potency and how it behaves in our body. There is major difference how it goes from the mother to the baby in the womb. The real difference is higher than we thought before.

Remember, only alpha tocopherol is made synthetic. So if we take the whole vitamin E family of compounds, as we should, we take at least some natural. The people at high risk and the ones that need it the most. Pregnant women and babies, people with chronic diseases or at high risk and the elderly are included.

Read the label - is only one way to tell if you are getting natural or synthetic. Natural will say d-alpha-tocopherol synthetic dl-alpha-tocopherol. If it does not say assume it is synthetic. Ignore the word natural in the name of the company or the product!

d is for natural dl is for synthetic

For all the evidence please see chapter 4 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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What is esterified vitamin E and when to avoid!


Alpha tocopherol is esterified to make it stable. Also to produce powder forms (instead of oil). When it is OK to use and when to avoid

In the chemical parlance ester is the chemical union of an alcohol and an acid. Alpha-tocopherol is an alcohol. It is esterified with the acids acetate, succinate, linoleate and nicotinate.

ESTERS MAKE ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL STABLE PLUS

Stability is the first objective. The tocopherols and tocotrienols are present in nature in our foods and our body as the free non-esterified form (also called free alcohol form). That means that their active antioxidant group is free and can fight free radicals.

We want, however, vitamin E to fight the free radicals in our body if we take it as a nutritional supplement or with our cereals. We want it to work on our skin if is in a cosmetic or skin care product. We definitely do not want it to get destroyed while it sits in the container or on the shelf as a tablet, a capsule, in the cereal box or in the skin care products.

Stability, plus... What is the plus? The natural forms of vitamin E are all oils. The succinate ester of the natu-ral d-alpha-tocopherol is a nice white powder, great for making tablets. Of course the oils can be formulated in dry form but that dilutes their concentration and it takes more valuable space in the tablet.

 

Straight talk and recommendations from Andreas:

There is no reason to go out of your way to find and use esterified forms of alpha-tocopherol. Exception: The water soluble form TPGS, which is great for people with serious absorption problems.

Choose a vitamin E supplement product that contains the whole vitamin E family of compounds. These are available only in their natural non-esterified form.

Be concerned - go out of your way to find non-esterified forms or the special esterified form - the water-soluble TPGS if you or a loved one have conditions that affect digestion and absorption. Examples of such conditions we will be discussing in later chapters:

  1. Babies especially premature babies. Their system is not well developed to break the esters - non-esterified forms are better.

  2. Cystic fibrosis, cholestasis, Crohn's disease - TPGS or non-esterified forms are better.

  3. People with diseases that cause serious infections of the gut, like AIDS - TPGS or non-esterified forms are better.

Most skin protection and cosmetic products contain esterified alpha-tocopherol - that's the wrong form. Read the chapter on skin for more details.

Be aware - There are esters of the both the natural and synthetic alpha-tocopherol. Look for the d-alpha for the natural, dl-alpha is the synthetic.

For all the details please see chapter 3 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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Finding vitamin E in foods


Does Poppye get enough vitamin E? Maybe, if he eats 19 cups of spinach a day! Can we get enough without getting fat?

THE CHALLENGE

We do not make vitamin E in our body, nor do animals. We have to get our vitamin E from our food or from supplements. Science also tells us that we need to take much higher levels than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) to get its full benefits. Because vitamin E is fat-soluble, it is generally found in fat-rich foods. Can we get enough vitamin E from our food without gulping thousands of fat calories? Can it be done and which foods we should choose? That's the challenge!

Plants make vitamin E and supply both animals and humans. Of course we get vitamin E from meat and fish but the original source is plants (and other primitive forms of life - algae, microorganisms, etc.)

Fruits and vegetables contain little vitamin E. Most meat, fish, dairy and animal products are also rather poor sources of vitamin E. Farm animals and most of the fish we eat get vitamin E from their food. So, the amount in their body depends, in large part, to what they eat.

So where is vitamin E? The best sources are fat-rich foods from plants. Some low fat foods like legume seeds and grains supply lower but yet reasonable amounts of vitamin E.

Vitamin E rich foods fall in four groups:

  1. Vegetable oils. Soy, corn, sunflower, canola, cottonseed, peanut, rice bran, sesame, and palm oils.

  2. Nuts like almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts.

  3. Oil seeds, legumes and grains. Corn, soy, northern beans, lentils, chickpeas, barley, rice, wheat and oats fall in this group.

  4. Wheat germ oil. This is not your average cooking or salad oil. Extracted from the germ of wheat it has been used since the 1920s as a vitamin E supplement. It packs 233 IU and 254 milligrams of total tocopherols plus tocotrienols. Forty-five grams of it take care of the 100/100 system.

Straight talk and Andreas' recommendations:

If I convinced you that you need much more vitamin E than the RDA to fend off diseases, delay the ravages of aging and even slow down the progress of diseases like Alzheimer's, then it is extremely difficult to get these amounts from food.

Food is great for getting natural vitamin E, the whole family of compounds. You can easily meet the RDA if you include nuts, grains and legumes in your diet and use very modest amounts of vegetable oils.

If you do not want to take supplements of vitamin E then consider wheat germ and wheat germ oil. They are great sources of natural vitamin E. Because they pack vitamin E you can raise your intake without taking in too much fat.

Fruits and vegetables provide little vitamin E but contain many other antioxidants that work with vitamin E. Go for them!

For all the details please see chapter 23 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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How much vitamin E should I take and which form?


Getting Your E: Diet vs Supplements. The form of vitamin E makes a lot of difference. One size does not fit all

THE PARADIGM CHANGE

The old paradigm: Take the level that prevents deficiency.

The new paradigm: Take the level that promotes good health and prevents and treats disease.

For vitamin E is much higher. The evidence is discussed throughout The Vitamin E Factor book.

Paradigm JPEG.jpg (83132 bytes)

Here is part of the critical evidence and where to find it in The Vitamin E Factor book:

  • Heart disease (Chapters 11 and 12): Epidemiological studies showed that 100 IU per day or more was needed to see the response. Clinical studies in progress use levels 300-400 IU.

  • LDL oxidation (Chapter 10): best results were with 400 IU.

  • Aging (Chapter 19): The most effective level for boosting the immune system of the elderly was 200 IU.

  • Cancer (Chapter 13): In the Finnish study 50 IU reduced prostate cancer.

  • Alzheimer's (Chapter 16): The daily dose used was 2,000 IU.

Are the experts unanimous on this? NOT. We are, however, closer to a consensus than for any other nutrient. Even vocal opponents of supplements agree: we need much more that we can get from our diet.

If you are still doubting...

  • If you want to wait for more studies before you are convinced that you need much more vitamin E that what you can get even from a well balanced diet

  • If you are plain opposed to taking supplements of any kind

  • If you are convinced that you want lots of extra vitamin E but only from food

  • Your choice is straightforward. You need to include in your diet foods rich in vitamin E. For more details please read chapter 23 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

 

Straight talk and recommendations from Andreas:

If you are convinced, as I am, that the benefits of vitamin E are real, then you need more vitamin E that you can get from your diet. The recommendations below are the very basic ones. If you suffer from disease or you are at high risk or your family history, age, and lifestyle create special needs please click here.

The adequate level - the 100/100 system: Take 100 IU plus 100 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. For healthy young adults with no family history of chronic disease.

The medium level - the 200/200 system: Take 200 IU plus 200 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. For young adults with some risk factors and healthy people without risk factors up to 50 years old.

The high, yet very safe dose - the 400/400 system: Take 400 IU plus 400 mg of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols. This is the level for people that, because of their level of stress, diet and other factors want to take higher levels. For people with family history of chronic disease such as Alzheimer's and for the elderly even higher levels may be appropriate.

Choose products that contain the vitamin E team, natural tocopherols plus tocotrienols.

For all the details please see chapter 24 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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I have problems with absorption...


Diseases (mostly genetic) interfere with absorption and transport of vitamin E. Devastating effects can be slowed down. Each disease requires a different strategy

Cystic fibrosis, cholestasis, abetalipoproteinemia, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, familial isolated vitamin E deficiency. Apart from strange and tongue twisting names these diseases do have one more thing in common. They all cause deficiency of vitamin E. In many cases extremely serious and life threatening.

Each of these diseases causes vitamin E deficiency by a different mechanism. It is for this reason that a custom strategy is required for each disease to correct the deficiency!

TPGS - A UNIQUE FORM OF VITAMIN E

TPGS (d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol-1000 succinate) has different properties than d-alpha-tocopherol. TPGS is a waxy solid and melts when heated. But what makes it unique, is its ability to dissolve in water. In contrast, other forms of vitamin E are insoluble in water.

TPGS forms its own micelles and can be absorbed by malabsorbers. In water, its molecule coils itself with the polyethylene glycol part that is miscible in water (hydrophilic) on the outside and the non-miscible (hydrophobic) on the inside. This is the way that micelles work! They traverse easily in the water and carry inside them the fat-soluble compounds.

TPGS is not for everybody. TPGS is for people that absorb poorly the regular forms of vitamin E. And from those only when the problem arises from lack of sufficient micelles or when there is a serious inflammation of the gut. Normal, healthy adults do not need TPGS.

The dose recommendations in The Vitamin E Factor book are only very general guidelines based on the available scientific literature! Your physician will monitor your status and adjust the dose as appropriate. For all the details please see chapter 7 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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I have special needs (seniors, athletes, mothers to be, i suffer or I am at risk for chronic disease, PMS, etc.)

The vitamin E team can help a lot. There are special considerations...

Aging, exercise, pregnancy, menopause, premenstrual syndrome and other conditions create special needs and vitamin E can help! If you or a loved one suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, AIDS and others or your family history, age, and lifestyle put you at high risk please for these diseases, vitamin E can help. Because for each condition and for each disease there are many important considerations, it would be difficult to discuss these considerations here. If you wish to learn more please read the appropriate chapters of The Vitamin E Factor book or drop me a line... For your convenience, the appropriate chapters are listed below.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE TRAFFIC COP

  • AIDS please go to chapter 17

  • Arthritis and autoimmune diseases 18

  • Cancer please go to chapter 13

  • Cataracts and eye diseases please go to chapter 15

  • Diabetes please go to chapter 14

  • Heart disease please go to chapters 11 & 12

  • Neurological diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Lou Goering's Disease, Tardive dyskinesia)go to chapter 15

  • Poor absorption due to diet, liver damage, diseases and medications, please go to chapter 6

  • Poor absorption causing diseases (cholestasis, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis) please go to chapter7

If you belong to one of the groups below or face special conditions, please find specific recommendations in the respective chapters:

  • Athletes or people doing strenuous physical work please go to chapter 20

  • Babies please go to chapter 21

  • Elderly please go to chapter 19

  • Pregnant or post-mernopausal women and for PMS and fertility please go to chapter 21

For skin care and cosmetic products please go to chapter 22

Straight talk and recommendations from Andreas:

WARNING (OR USING COMMON SENSE)

Some of the conditions and diseases are serious and some even life-threatening. Do not change your medical treatment or nutrition (including taking vitamin E) without medical advice!

  • Talk to your physician about the suggestions in the book. Work with your physician to develop a custom program for you!

  • If your physician is not familiar with this information refer him/her to the references in the back of this book or ask him/her to talk to the researchers or other specialists that have experience.

  • If necessary, ask for a second opinion or talk yourself to the researchers or other patients that have tried these recommendations. But always work with an experienced physician before you make any changes.

  • Basic recommendations:

  • For these conditions and especially for diseases it is even more important to use products that contain all natural tocopherols plus tocotrienols.

  • The dose recommendations are based on the available scientific literature. Your physician will monitor your status and may adjust the dose as appropriate.

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The vitamin E and skin health


Vitamin E can prevent damage to the skin from UV rays, pollutants and aging if the right form is used (which is not...)

MOST SUNSCREEN, LOTIONS AND COSMETICS CONTAIN THE WRONG FORM OF VITAMIN E

Alpha-tocopherol protects the skin against cancer from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) B rays. In contrast, the alpha-tocopheryl acetate does not protect against these cancers. It is, therefore, disturbing that alpha-tocopheryl acetate is the form of vitamin E in most commercial sunscreens and lotions.  
-Professor Daniel C. Liebler, Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona

Chances are that you bought a lotion, skin cream, sunscreen or other cosmetic product with vitamin E. Many upscale cosmetic products, even soaps, contain vitamin E and the manufacturers want you to know about it! What you do not know is that most cosmetic products contain the wrong form of vitamin E! That's what Professor Liebler is concerned about!

The form of vitamin E makes the difference between getting the full benefit and getting little or no benefit. This is a case of getting some benefit but missing most of it including the protection from cancer! This is a great pity because skin health is one of the top reasons why people use vitamin E! Their expectation is very well founded - vitamin E can do a lot for the skin. Not only for slowing down its aging but also for helping prevent some skin cancers! The evidence is strong and the benefits worth the extra effort to find the right products. Here is how vitamin E team protects the skin:

  • Delays the aging of the skin and may help reverse part of the damage

  • Helps protect from skin cancer

  • Protects the immune defenses of the skin

  • Protects skin from damage from ozone and pollutants

  • Functions as a sunscreen.

. WHICH IS THE RIGHT FORM TO USE?

The short answer: Products containing tocopherols and tocotrienols in their natural non-esterified form. Here is the long explanation.

Muzzled vitamin E cannot help on the skin: Most skin products contain the muzzled synthetic dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (the active antioxidant group is blocked and cannot function). Some contain other esterified forms such as d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, or dl-alpha-tocopheryl linoleate. Muzzled vitamin E, whether natural or synthetic does not help. Is the muzzle removed when vitamin E penetrates into the skin? Unfortunately not! A small, amount of free alpha-tocopherol is released. But the bulk of it remains muzzled. That means missing most of the benefit!

NOTE: We are concerned about alpha-tocopherol esters only because the other tocopherols and tocotrienols are not available as esters.

Andreas' recommendations:

Finding skin care products that contain the vitamin E team of tocopherols and tocotrienols may be difficult. Such products are very few and may not be available everywhere. Make an effort to find them, it is worth it! I will list products as they become available.

Read the label and especially the list of ingredients of the product. There is no other way to find what you are buying.

If the amount is not on the label it probably contains very little. Even a small amount (less than one percent) of the right form can help a lot!

Ignore the word natural in the brand name, company name, product description etc. Look for the d-alpha for natural alpha-tocopherols (dl-alpha means synthetic). Do not worry whether the other tocopherols and tocotrienols are natural or synthetic. They are available only as natural.

If a product says that it contains vitamin E but does not say which form, assume that it contains the synthetic dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate. The natural forms, especially those containing tocotrienols cost much more, so the manufacturer has every incentive to make sure you know.

For all the details please see chapter 22 of The Vitamin E Factor book.

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Burns and wound healing - Testimonial from my friend Jimmy Bassett


A powerful testimonial - vitamin E helped healing and reduced scars from serious burn

ANDREAS' NOTE: The testimonial below is the only one in The Vitamin E Factor book. Testimonials do not have the weight of proof of clinical studies. There are some, however, that make such a powerful impression because they describe an overwhelming effect on a person we know and trust. This is such a testimonial. Here are Jimmy's words:


Having worked in the same company and, during the last few years, in the same building as Andreas it was hard not to believe that natural vitamin E is good for you. I even knew that d-alpha stands for the natural form. It took, however, an explosion and fire to make me an avid believer.

In September of 1994, I was severely burned. Forty five percent of my body had second and third degree burns. The intensity of the heat was so severe that my ear lobs burst from the heat. I spent the next 35 days in a burn unit going through continuous removal of debris, pain and depression.

When I left the burn unit, I was told that if I did not wear burn garments on my hands, arms and shoulder, the scars would continue to develop into ugly masses. The garments were tight and painful. The skin remained very dry, and was often breaking with the slightest of movement. Itching was so intense - it was driving me crazy. I chose to wear only the gloves and not worry about the scars on my arms and shoulder.

I guess that we all have a little vanity in how we look. Some of this vanity was left in me despite my suffering. I began thinking about some of the things that I had heard about vitamin E. I met with my doctor and my pharmacist and asked if they could come up with a lotion that was ultra high in concentrations of natural d-alpha tocopherol, with some type of carrier to take it into the skin (vitamin E did not seem to penetrate the skin very fast

They did prepare a lotion for me and I used the lotion everywhere I was burned except my hands where I was wearing the burn gloves. I used the lotion 3-4 times every day for a year. Most of the itching went away. Then I began to notice some of the scars were decreasing in size. Some disappeared completely.

Today when I meet people and tell them about my second and third degree burns, they have a hard time believing that I was burned that bad. There are no scars on my face, and almost none on my arms. Only my hands where I wore the gloves show significant scarring.

I firmly believe that the addition of the d-alpha-tocopherol shortly after leaving the burn unit, is the reason that the scars have disappeared. As a true believer, I find it sad that the medical community is not recommending the use of vitamin E for burn victims, especially the young children.






     


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