Mixed tocopherols are a combination of four tocopherols found in vitamin E, each with different benefits. Alpha tocopherol is the most powerful and is stored in the body, while gamma tocopherol is the primary source in food and may prevent prostate cancer. Beta tocopherol balances metabolism and reduces the risk of reproductive organ cancer. Single-serving supplements are recommended for the most effective ratios.
Mixed tocopherols are a combination of the four tocopherols present in vitamin E: delta tocopherol, alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol, and beta tocopherol. Some mixed tocopherol supplements may not contain all four tocopherols, but may instead combine two or three in various concentrations; in rare cases, a manufacturer may market a synthetic form of alpha tocopherol by itself as a mixed tocopherol. Each tocopherol is a type of antioxidant, which is a substance that can inhibit oxidation in cells, thereby reducing the risk of cell degradation and diseases such as cancer. Natural forms of all four tocopherols are available in green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole foods, and sunflower oils.
The benefits provided by mixed tocopherols range from increased immunity to faster healing. They have also been implicated in stopping tissue inflammation. By consuming mixed tocopherols instead of just one type of tocopherol, a person can gain a wide variety of specialized benefits, as each tocopherol has different abilities.
For example, scientists consider alpha tocopherol to be the most powerful tocopherol, providing the most reliable buffer against free radicals responsible for oxidation and cell destruction. For this reason, it is rarely excluded from mixed tocopherol combinations; Almost all vitamin E supplements that contain mixed tocopherols are anchored in high concentrations of alpha-tocopherol. It should be noted that this antioxidant is also the only tocopherol that the human body maintains and stores in its tissues. This happens because a special transfer protein in the body recognizes alpha tocopherol and absorbs it into lipoproteins for circulation through the bloodstream. Alpha tocopherol is credited with preventing heart disease and improving neurological disorders and various chronic diseases.
Gamma tocopherol is unique in that it is generally the primary source of vitamin E consumed in foods due to the prevalence of contemporary corn and soy-based diets. Tests show that it does not block free radicals like alpha tocopherol does, but it may offer minor healing of cell radical damage. Scattered research also suggests that gamma tocopherol is the best tocopherol for preventing prostate cancer and might also be the best antioxidant for inflammation. Gamma tocopherol is usually the second most commonly included antioxidant in mixed tocopherol preparations. Although gamma tocopherols are metabolized by the body, scientific studies suggest that little of this antioxidant is stored or needed by the body; therefore, it is often excreted.
Beta tocopherol is associated with balancing metabolism and reducing the risk of cancer of the reproductive organs. The importance of delta tocopherol to the human body remains nebulous to scientists. For people looking beyond the diet for mixed tocopherols, doctors recommend against buying each tocopherol separately, as too much of one can inhibit the effectiveness of another. Single-serving supplements that combine mixed tocopherols generally combine all of the antioxidants in the most effective ratios.
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