Alpha-tocopherol does NOT deplete gamma-tocopherol

[haidut]

There is a lot of info on the web about alpha-tocopherol potentially competing with gamma-, beta-, and delta-tocopherols, and even depleting them when intake of alpha-tocopherol is increased. There are studies on PubMed that claim most/all anti-cancer effects vitamin E had shown in the past was due to gamma-tocopherol and not alpha-tocopherol. So, I just came upon this very recent study that tested the depletion hypothesis and came up with no evidence that alpha-tocopherol somehow antagonizes or depletes the other tocopherol isomers (and especially gamma).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23700248

So, for now it seems safe to take a supplement high in alpha-tocopherol, at least in the sense that it should be be depleting the levels of gamma-tocopherol present in your body. I personally, am alternating weekly two vitamin E suplements. One is the Sun-E 400 capsules, which is soy-free and contains only alpha-tocopherol, and on the alternate week I take the Lotioncrafter product, which is high in gamma-tocopherol. Will keep everybody posted on the results.

 

[j.]

Your strategy sounds good. I tend to trust the body to give me signals to regulate supplements intake. I'm feeling unusually good right now, and I only took 10 mg of pregnenolone today, what I felt I should take.

 

[haidut]

Your strategy sounds good. I tend to trust the body to give me signals to regulate supplements intake. I'm feeling unusually good right now, and I only took 10 mg of pregnenolone today, what I felt I should take.

Thanks. Btw, what brand of pregnenolone are you taking? That's the one supplement I've had no luck with. All the capsule vendors I have tried have made me feel very tired and irritable, even though many claim on the label that the pill only contains gelatin and pregnenolone.

 

[charlie]

Taking too much pregnenolone makes me irritable.

 

[haidut]

Taking too much pregnenolone makes me irritable.

How much is too much? I have tried everything from 50mg up to 1000mg (in two separate doses of 500mg morning and evening). The Source Naturals brand capsules was actually pretty decent and then VitaminShoppe sold out and all online stores seem to have sold out as well. The public has gone apeshit on pregnenolone
All other brands made me feel crappy even at the lowest dose of 25mg per day. I am inclined to think it's the pills, not the pregnenolone itself...

 

[Jenn]

A friend could not take pregnenelone, it made her feel depressed. I have no clue as to her dose, probably less than 50 mg. I wouldn't take it if it's not benefiting at this time. Your body may have it's own agenda.

 

[charlie]

I take around 10 mg a day now, or less. When I was taking 50 mgs a day it was too much.

 

[j.]

I take Swanson's now. Life Extension worked well too, but they didn't have 10 mg versions.

 

[Gabriel]

Haidut, what do you make out of this study?

 

[haidut]

Haidut, what do you make out of this study?

Like any other study, I will keep it in mind, especially since it was done on humans. However, I do see some problems with it. First, they used alpha-tocopheryl-acetate, which is synthetic and probably does not have the same effects on gamma and delta tocopherol as pure alpha-tocopherol. Second, their study design was a bit deficient. The study only measured the effects of a single substance on the serum levels of alpha-tocopherol. The study I linked to was designed to have mixture of tocopherols selectively depleted or enhanced in some of the isomers to see how increasing/lowering one isomer affects the others. Finally, the human study only tested levels in SERUM, which is not a reliable predictor of levels in organs. The study I posted tested for levels in "...serum, liver, adrenal gland, small intestine, and heart".
Maybe someone will do a study with mixed tocopherols on humans to see if high intake of alpha depletes the other isomers. The only problem is that short of taking muscle biopsy, studies on humans are not going to look for levels in "...serum, liver, adrenal gland, small intestine, and heart". The rats get killed in the study, so that's why we can test their organ levels. Not sure what human would volunteer for that test
Either way, good find and I will keep it mind.

 

[Wilfrid]

I just read the study posted by Gabriel.
And I think that they were using the RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate, which is the natural version of vitamin E, by opposition to the synthetic-source vitamin E (SYN; all-rac or DL-α-tocopherol acetate).
It's just natural "esterified" vitamin E,no?

 

[haidut]

I just read the study posted by Gabriel.
And I think that they were using the RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate, which is the natural version of vitamin E, by opposition to the synthetic-source vitamin E (SYN; all-rac or DL-α-tocopherol acetate).
It's just natural "esterified" vitamin E,no?

Not sure, but you may be right on this one. I think the RRR reference means it's a natural but esterified one. Mayeb the study should have been title "esterified alpha tocopherol lowers levels of gamma and delta tocopherols".