Vitamin E is one of four fat-soluble vitamins your body needs but cannot produce on its own. In nature, this essential nutrient occurs only in plant-based foods, such as vegetable oils (e.g., wheat germ, sunflower, safflower, corn, and soybean), nuts (e.g., almond, peanut, and hazelnut), seeds (e.g., sunflower, achiote), and green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, broccoli, beet greens, turnip greens, and red sweet pepper). [1]
A nutrient required for maintaining your body’s natural defenses, research shows that vitamin E’s most crucial role is as an antioxidant that protects healthy cells from free radical damage. Thanks to its unique chemical structure, vitamin E can do what most antioxidants cannot: squeeze inside cell membranes! [2]
Vitamin E’s role in cell defense*
Human cell membranes are held together by a structure called the phospholipid bilayer, which consists of two lipid layers that act as a selective barrier. This barrier controls what goes in and out of cells, allowing these small units of life to maintain a state of stability, or homeostasis. [3] Cell membranes also provide structural stability and support for cells and allow them to pass signals between each other and interact with their environment.
Because of their lipid nature, cell membranes are prone to damage by highly reactive molecules called free radicals, which are themselves a product of normal cell functions. Free radicals harm healthy cells by attacking lipids in their cell membranes and disrupting their stability – a process known as lipid peroxidation.
Once weakened, cell membranes become more permeable, exposing other cell components like proteins and DNA to destructive elements. These events, collectively called oxidative stress, trigger a cascade of reactions that ultimately leads to cell death. [4]
To protect cells from oxidative stress, the body employs compounds called antioxidants, which are chemically designed to neutralize free radicals before they can target cell membranes. Some antioxidants, like glutathione, are naturally produced by the body, while others, like vitamin E, are obtained only from dietary sources.
Because vitamin E readily dissolves in fat, it can easily be integrated into cell membranes, performing antioxidative activities no other antioxidant can. In fact, research estimates vitamin E comprises over 90% of cell membrane antioxidants in the human body, underlining its importance to human health. [5]
Vitamin E occurs naturally in eight different forms: alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherols, and alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocotrienols. Alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant isomer found in the human diet and is also the most celebrated. [6] But the identification of tocotrienols and subsequent comparisons in terms of antioxidant activity have slowly shifted scientific interest away from tocopherols and toward tocotrienols.
While largely similar in structure, tocotrienols are smaller in size than tocopherols. This allows them to penetrate cell membranes with greater ease and intercept free radicals more efficiently. [7] Research attributes the higher antioxidant potency of tocotrienols – 40 to 60 times higher, according to a study published in the journal Free Radical Biology & Medicine – to this size advantage. [8] Among the vitamin E isomers, delta-tocotrienol is the shortest molecule, making it the most effective cell membrane antioxidant by principle.
Annatto: The best natural source of Vitamin E*
Tocotrienols are naturally present in a variety of plant sources, such as coconut oil, flaxseed oil, grapefruit seed oil, olive oil, palm oil, poppy seed oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, barley germ, wheat germ, oats, buckthorn berry, and annatto. [9] What sets annatto, or the seeds of the Bixa orellana (achiote) plant, apart from these natural sources is its unique and very favorable vitamin E composition.
While others contain a mixture of tocopherols and tocotrienols, annatto offers only pure tocotrienols in the form of delta-tocotrienols (~90%) and gamma-tocotrienols (~10%). After delta-tocotrienols, gamma-tocotrienols are the next smallest isomers of vitamin E. Several studies have praised delta- and gamma-tocotrienols for their impressive health-supporting properties. [10]
The lack of tocopherols in annatto provides two significant advantages. According to a study published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Cardiology, delta-tocotrienol shows higher bioavailability when taken in the absence of tocopherols, meaning that the body finds it easier to absorb the nutrient when it is not in a mixture with tocopherols. [11]
A study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry also reports that alpha-tocopherol, in particular, interferes with the beneficial activities of tocotrienols by inhibiting their absorption. [12] These findings suggest that when you supplement with annatto vitamin E, you are not only getting high amounts of the most potent antioxidant form of vitamin E, but also ensuring that your body can fully maximize its benefits.
Annatto is often used as a spice and food coloring thanks to its natural orange-red color. People who wish to take advantage of annatto’s rich tocotrienol content can now do so by taking pure, high-quality annatto vitamin E supplements from trusted sources.
To recap, here are four reasons why annatto is the best natural source of Vitamin E*
· Abundant source of delta-tocotrienol, the most potent form of vitamin E in nature
· Contains no tocopherols, which ensures high potency and bioavailability
· Offers excellent antioxidant support and protection for healthy cells
· Now widely available as a dietary supplement
Where to get clean, lab-verified Annatto Vitamin E*
To let you experience the powerful health-supporting properties of pure vitamin E, the Health Ranger Store proudly offers Groovy Bee® Annatto Vitamin E Delta/Gamma Tocotrienols Softgels. This premium supplement delivers pure, lab-verified delta- and gamma-tocotrienols to support overall health and well-being.
Carefully sourced from the seeds of healthy achiote plants, Groovy Bee® Annatto Vitamin E Delta/Gamma Tocotrienols Softgels provide the ideal ratio of 90% delta-tocotrienols to 10% gamma-tocotrienols, offering unmatched antioxidant protection to help you maintain good health.
Groovy Bee® Annatto Vitamin E Delta/Gamma Tocotrienols Softgels contain no tocopherols, fillers, additives, preservatives, or GMOs. They are also lab-verified, non-China, certified Kosher, and meticulously lab tested for glyphosate, heavy metals, and microbiology for your safety and peace of mind.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any diseases.
References
[1] https://www.healthline.com
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com
[5] https://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com
[9] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
[10] https://www.mdpi.com
