“Wonder Vitamin’ Protects the Brain After Stroke

Vitamin E seems to be one of the ‘wonder vitamins’ – and now researchers have discovered that it can protect the brain after a stroke, and can stop nerve cells dying. Good quality vitamin E supplements can protect the brain after a stroke by blocking an enzyme that is activated following a stroke, and which damages the brain. Although vitamin E comes in various forms, researchers at Ohio State’s Department of Surgery have discovered that the tocotrienol form, found in supplements, had the most protective effect. And it appears you don’t have to swallow bottles of the stuff, either – the researchers discovered that tocotrienol started giving an effect at doses that were 10 times lower than that found in most standard supplement capsules. (Source: Journal of Neurochemistry, 2010: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123217269/abstract).

Vitamin E occurs naturally in eight different forms. The best-known form of vitamin E belongs to a variety called tocopherols. The form of vitamin E in this study, tocotrienol or TCT, is not abundant in the American diet but is available as a nutritional supplement. It is a common component of a typical Southeast Asian diet.

Shaklee Corporation makes an excellent Vita E Complex containing the variety of mixed tocopherols along with selenium to complement the activity of vitamin E and
grapeseed extract containing proanthocyanidins, compounds that appear to have more powerful antioxidant properties than both vitamins C and E*

Using a good natural form of Vitamin E is superior because it is more easily absorbed and retained by the body than synthetic forms.