Tocotrienols (Annatto)

Most tocotrienol products are derived from palm oil or rice bran oil. Tocotrienol and tocopherol concentrates, referred to as tocotrienol-rich fractions or TRFs, from rice or palm typically contain 25% to 50% tocopherols. The most effective concentrates shown to lower plasma cholesterol and oxidative indicators in numerous human studies were those with low tocopherols and high tocotrienols.

DFH?s new Annatto Tocotrienols formula is tocopherol-free, making it extremely potent and unique. This tocotrienol only formula is extracted from food-grade annatto from the South American annatto bean. It typically contains 90% delta-tocotrienol and 10% gamma-tocotrienol. These two tocotrienols have been proven in studies to be the two most potent, whereas alpha-tocotrienol is five-fold less potent. This unique make-up is not found in rice bran or palm oil sourced tocotrienols.

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Serving Size:  1 capsule
Product Contains:

Tocotrienols (delta, gamma).......100 mg.

Other Ingredients:  silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, stearates (vegetable source)

Recommended Use:  As a dietary supplement, take one capsule daily in the evening with food or as directed by your health care practitioner. For best results, do not take within six hours of taking a vitamin E supplement.

This is my preferred form of Vitamin E for those concerned with cholesterol and heart disease.

Read customer questions and answers about Cholesterol and Heart on our blog.

The Science Behind Tocotrienols

Lowers cholesterol: Gamma Tocotrienol acts on a specific enzyme called 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme A reductase (HMG-COA) involved in cholesterol production in the liver. Tocotrienols suppress the production of this enzyme, which may result in less cholesterol being manufactured.

Lowers Breast Cancer Risk: Tocotrienols slow down the growth of breast cancer cells in particular. Gamma-tocotrienol suppresses the growth of rat melanoma and human leukemia cells, human breast adenocarcinoma and human leukemic cells.

Improves Cardiovascular Health: Strong evidence for tocotrienols comes from a clinical study in which 50 patients including a placebo group had stenosis of the carotid artery which regressed or stayed stable in 22 of 25 patients while placebo group got worse.

Topical Use for UV Radiation: Tocotrienols protect the skin against damage from ultraviolet radiation, pollution, and cigarette smoke. Topically applied tocotrienols and tocopherols penetrate the skin to the subcutaneous fat layer within 30 minutes showing high concentration in the deeper subcutaneous layers for excellent protection against UV radiation.

This product does not contain:  This product does not contain wheat, yeast, soy protein, gluten, eggs, dairy, corn, artificial colors, flavors, sugars, or preservatives.

Tocotrienols Can Support:

Lowering elevated total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and Apolipoprotein b

Thrombosis and Carotid Artery Stenosis (stroke)

Hypertension[12]

Breast Cancer

Neuroprotection

Suppressed Immune System/Allergies

Protecting cell membranes and LDL from lipid peroxidation

Results from a preliminary study using tocotrienols with no tocopherols

Product Used and Daily Dose	Total Chol.	LDL	HDL	Triglycerides
Delta-Tocotrienol: 100mg/day	-27%	-24%	+8%	-20%
Gamma-Tocotrienol: 100mg/day	-21%	-21%	+12%	-15%
UltraTrienols (DeltaGold) 75mg/day consisting of: 67.5 mg Delta-Tocotrienol + 7.5 mg Gamma-Tocotrienol	-15%	-10%	+10%

Tocotrienols are naturally occurring sisters of tocopherols in the Vitamin E family. Tocopherols have four isomers namely alpha, beta, gamma and delta. Tocotrienols have the same four isomers. Tocotrienols and tocopherols are considered the most important antioxidants in fats, oils, and cell membranes.

What Is Unique About Designs For Health's Annatto Tocotrienols?
Numerous studies prove that the two most potent forms of tocotrienols are delta and gamma tocotrienol. Annatto Tocotrienols contain 90% delta-tocotrienol and 10% gammatocotrienol. This unique make-up is not found in rice bran or palm oil. Most tocotrienols on the market are derived from rice bran and palm oil.

Tocotrienol plus tocopherol concentrates, referred to as ?tocotrienol-rich fractions? or TRF's, from rice bran or palm oil usually contain 30-50% tocopherols. When TRF's contain more than 20% tocopherol, the cholesterol lowering effect is greatly reduced.[1] The most effective concentrates shown to lower plasma cholesterol and oxidative indicators in numerous human studies were those with LOW tocopherols and HIGH tocotrienols.

The generalized potency of tocotrienols in decreasing order is:

Delta T3 > Gamma T3 > Alpha T3 > TRF > Tocopherol

Annatto Tocotrienols are tocopherol-FREE because these tocotienols are extracted from food grade ANNATTO. Annatto is the most commonly used carotenoid in foods, added for natural coloring. Colorful foods are known for their high antioxidant concentrations.

Delta T3 is also the most protective of breast cancer as far as being more potent apoptosis inducers and inhibitors of pre-neo and neoplastic and malignant cells.[1] Tocotrienols control production of the potent estrogen, estradiol, and inhibit growth of the Estrogen Receptor (ER) positive MCF-7 and ER-neg MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.[2,3,4]

Tocotrienols show many positive benefits to humans. They are potent antioxidants.[5,6,7] They inhibit oxidation of unsaturated lipids in cell membranes. As potent lipophilic antioxidants, it is thought that tocotrienols reduce foam cell formation by inhibition of LDL oxidation and inhibition of adhesion molecules' surface expression. They also inhibit platelet aggregation via thromboxane production shunt. They are capable of reducing apolipoprotein b, thromboxane B2 (vasoconstrictor), and platelet aggregation.[9] They protect against glutamate-induced cell deaths making them neuroprotective![10] Preliminary research is looking positive for tocotrienols' ability to lower C-Reactive Protein. Results will be released soon.

How Do Tocotrienols Lower Cholesterol?
Research has clearly proven their ability to lower cholesterol and inhibit liver cholesterol synthesis in a manner that is not likely to cause side effects. Like statins, tocotrienols are HMG CoA Reductase inhibitors, however tocotrienols do this in a different manner. They increase the conversion of Farnesyl (a mevalonate derived product which usually goes on to make cholesterol) to Farnesol. This prevents Farnesyl from being synthesized into squalene and then into cholesterol.

Instead, the Farnesol then signals the proteolytic degradation and downregulation of HMG-CoA Reductase.[11] Tocotrienols also upregulate LDL receptor and LDL clearance. They impressively inhibit the progression of carotid artery stenosis that leads to stroke.[7,8]

Toxicity of tocotrienols has been adequately tested in mice with no toxicity seen.[13,14]

According to a 2002 study on diabetic rats, tocotrienols added to rat chow effectively prevented increase in advanced glycosylation end-products in normal rats, and caused a decrease in blood glucose and glycated hemoglobinin diabetic rats.[16]

Store in a cool, dry place. Keep out of reach of children.

1. Quereshi, Pearce, Nor, et al. Dietary Alpha-Tocopherol Attenuates the Impact of Gamma-Tocotrienol on Hepatic 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Activity in Chickens. Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Inst. Adv. Med Res. Oct. 17. 1995
2. McIntyre, Briski, Gapor and Sylvester. Antiproliferative and apoptopic effects of tocopherols and tocotrienols on preneoplastic and neoplastic mouse mammary epithelial cells. P.S.E.M.B.2000;224:292-301.
3. Yu, Simmon-Mancheca, Gapor, Sanders and Kline. Induction of apoptosis in human breast cancer cells by tocopherols and tocotrienols. Nutrition and Cancer 1999;33(1):26-32.
4. Nesaretnm and Selvaduray. Effect of tocotrienol on estrogen metabolism in MCF-7 and mDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. In:Micronutrients and Health. Molecular an Biological Mechanisms by Nesaretnam and Packer 2001. AOCS. pp:358-365.
5. Guthrie N, Gapor A, Chambers AF, Carroll KK. Inhibition of proliferation of estrogen receptor-negative MDA-MB-435 and-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by palm oil tocotrienols and tamoxifen alone and in combination. J. Nutr 1997;127:544S-548S.
6. Qureshi, Qureshi, Wright et al. 1991. Lowering of serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic humans by tocotrienols. J. Am. Clin. Nut 53:1021S-1026S.
7. Watkins T, Lenz P, Gapor A, Struck, Tomeo Biernbaum. Gamma Tocotrienol as a hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant agent in rats fed atherogenic diets. Lipids 1993;28:1113-18.
8. Tomeo, Geller, Watkins, and Bierenbaum. Antioxidant effects of tocotrienols in patients with hyperlipidemia and carotid stenosis. Lipids 1195;30(12):1179-1183.
9. Kooyenga, Watkins, Geller, and Bierenbaum. Antioxidants modulate the course of carotid Atherosclerosis: A four year study. In: Micronutrients and Health. Molecular and Biological Mechanisms by Nesaretnam and Packer. 2001. AOCS. pp.366-375.
10. Qureshi AA, Qureshi N, Halser-Rapacz JO. Dietary tocotrienols reduce concentrations of plasma cholesterol, apoliporotein B, thromboxane B2, and platelet factor 4 in pigs with inherited hyperlipidemias. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:1042S-6S.
11. Sen, Khanna, Roy and Packer. Molecular basis of Vitamin E action. Tocotrienol potently inhibits glutamate-induced-induced pp60c-Src kinase activation and death of HT4 neuronal cells. 2000; J. Biol. Chem. 275:13049-13055.
12. Correll CC, Edwards PA. Identification of farnesol as the non-sterol derivative of mevalonic acid required for the accelerated degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reduc tase. J Biol Chem 1994:269:17390-3.
13. Newaz and Nawal. Effect of gamma tocotrienol and blood pressure, lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status in spontaneously hypertensive rats. 1999. Clin. And Exper. Hypertension, 21:1297-1313.
14. Oo and Chan. Toxicological and pharmacological studies on palm vitee. Nutrition Research 1992;12(1):S217-S222.
15. Pappu AS, Illingworth DR. The effects of lovastatin and simvastatin on the diurnal periodicity of plasma mevalonate concentrations in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholes terolemia. Atherosclerosis. 2002 Nov;165(1):137-44.
16. Wan Nazaimoon WM, Khalid BA. Tocotrienols-rich diet decreases advanced glycosylation end-products in non-diabetic rats and improves glycemic control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Malays J Pathol. 2002 Dec;24(2):77-82.