Your body is a cellular sea with a never-ending battle raging throughout. Free radicals, the pirates of the cellular sea, are constantly raiding other cells and converting them to more free radicals, causing damage to your body. Antioxidants, the Navy of the celluar sea, are constantly fighting these free radical pirates, destroying them and keeping your body healthy. If the free radicals win, then your body is more susseptible to disease and the effects of aging.
In this ongoing conflict, you need every advantage you can get. A new antioxidant has emerged that can tip the balance in your favor. Amazingly, scientist have been aware of this nutrient for decades now, but its true benefits are just now being realized. Its name is Gamma Tocopherol, a member of the vitamin E family, and its job is to support cardiovascular health, immune system function, and reduce the signs of aging.
Contrary to popular belief, Vitamin E is actually a family of eight nutrients - four tocopherols (alpha, betta, gamma and delta). Natural vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that supports a number of body functions, including cardiovascular function, healthy skin, nervous sytem fucntion and more. When vitamin E was first discovered in 1922, scientist erroneously concluded that only one family member, alpha tocopherol, provided any measurable health benefits. So, for the next several decades vitamin E supplements contained only alpha tocopherol. Wilie alpha tocopherol does provide certain health benefits, researches have discovered that natural vitamin E obtained from the diet provides the broadest range of benefits, because it contains all eight family members, not just one.
Of the seven who've been ignored, gamma tocopherol appears to be one of the most beneficial. It's the most abundant form of vitamin E in a healthy diet. Research shows that gamma tocopherol is especially effective against a destructive form of free radical called reactive nitrogen oxide species (RNOS). A free radical is a molecule or molecular fragment that contains at least one unpaired electron, unlike regular molecules, which always contain paired electrons. This state makes the molecule unstable, converting it into a free radical cellular "pirate". These pirates that scour the microscopic seas in search of molecules they can steal an electron from, or molecules they can unload their unpaired electron cargo on. This "recruitment" process swells the free radical ranks, creating an ongoing free radical chain reaction that's very harmful if left in a number of serious conditions associated with chronic inflammation, such as heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. By scavenging RNOS, gamma tocopherol helps to support cardiovascular health and nervous system fucntion.
Research shows that not only is gamma tocopherol a potent antioxidant, but it may also prolong the life, and therefore effiency, of other antioxidants, such as vitamin C. In a recent study (December 2002), reasearchers studied the effects of gamma tocopherol supplementation on blood and tissue levels of vitamins C and E, as well as protein nitration, an effect of RNOS damage to protein. Supplementation significantly increased levels of gamma tocopherol in the blood, liver and kidneys of the subjects without affecting alpha tocopherol or vitamin C levels. Subjects were then expose to a chemical that induced protein nitration, which resulted in inflammation and marked a decline of vitamin C. Supplementation with gamma tocopherol significantly reduced inflammation-induced loss of vitamin C in the blood and kidneys, indicating that gamma tocopherol exerts a protective effect on vitamin C.
Studies on persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have shown that inflammation and fat oxidation are significant contributors to this debilitating condition, both reactions to oxidative stress caused by RNOS. A study conducted in March 2002 sought to determine whether gamma and/or alpha tocopherol would have a positive effect on these two contributing factors by reducing RNOS damage. Brain mitochondria were exposed to a chemical that induces RNOS damage. Test results show that gamma tocopherol, but not alpha tocopherol, was effective against RNOS. The study also bolstered the results of other test that showed RNOS to be a major contributing factor to lipid oxidation in AD.
Research continues to indicate that the greatest benefit from vitamin E supplementation is realized only with a synergistic combination of all eight family members. Advanced Gamma E Complex from NOW® is a complete vitamin E supplement that provides a full range of antioxidant protection by providing a natural balance of tocopherols (with plenty of gamma tocopherol) and tocotrienols. Fortify your body's defenses agaisnt free radical pirates and get the most you've ever gotten from a natural vitamin E supplement with Advanced Gamma E Complex from NOW® Foods.
References
1. Papas, Andeas; The Vitamin E Factor; Harper Perennial; 1999
2. Jiang, Q et al.; Gamma-tocopherol supplementation inhibits protein nitration and ascorbate oxidation in rats with inflammation; Free Radical Biol. Med.; 2002; 33(11): 1534-1542
3. Williamson, KS: The nitration product 5-nitro-gamma-tocopherol is increased in the Alzheimer brain; Nitric Oxide, 2002; 6(2): 221-227
