Scientists Discover The Best Form of Vitamin E to Ward Off Cancer
A team of researchers from Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified an elusive anti-cancer property of vitamin E that has long been presumed to exist, but has been effectively buried under volumes of bad scientific evidence.
While past bodies of research have suggested that vitamin E is an important nutrient in the age-old battle against many forms of cancer, a number of poorly constructed studies over the past five years have concluded that supplementation with vitamin E not only provides no health benefits, but may actually increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. What they fail to mention is that many of these studies used isolated, synthetic vitamin E compounds. As a result of the mainstream media’s desire to trumpet any type of negative information regarding natural compounds to prevent disease, many people remain cynical and avoid supplementing with the correct form of this crucial nutrient.
Enter: This study.
Natural Vitamin E Influences Enzyme Action to Help Prevent Cancer Development
Researchers working with prostate cancer cell lines demonstrated that one form of vitamin E inhibits the activation of an enzyme that is essential for cancer cell survival. The loss of the enzyme, called ‘Akt’, led to tumor cell death.
Lead author of the study Dr. Ching-Shih Chen explained, “This is the first demonstration of a unique mechanism of how vitamin E can have some benefit in terms of cancer prevention and treatment.” Chen and his team reviewed many past studies based on synthetic forms of vitamin E that concentrated a dominant isomer of the nutrient alpha-tocopherol. There are eight total isomers, or mirror forms of, vitamin E that are required in natural ratios to be effective against cancer development. Many of the prior studies were doomed for failure before they even started because they used synthetic vitamin E compounds instead of balanced vitamin E isomers.
Consume Nuts, Seeds and Leafy Greens or Supplement Daily to Benefit from Vitamin E
The research team, using a mouse model known to replicate human cell metabolism, tested different tocopherols and tocotrienols and found the gamma isomer of vitamin E exhibited the most potent anti-cancer activity. Gamma-tocopherol was found to be twenty times more effective than other forms of the vitamin in reducing the size of prostate cancer tumors.
This research suggests that gamma-tocopherol, working in concert with the full complement of vitamin E forms could help prevent and treat numerous types of cancer, especially those associated with a mutation in the PTEN gene, a fairly common cancer-related genetic defect that keeps the Akt enzyme active. Dr. Chen concluded, “This is a new finding. We have been taking vitamin E for years but nobody really knew about this particular anti-cancer mechanism.” Sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts and spinach are all excellent food sources of vitamin E. Health-minded individuals may also want to supplement with 200 to 400 IU of a full-spectrum form daily to take advantage of the cancer fighting benefits of this misunderstood vitamin.
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and diet, health and nutrition researcher and author with a passion for understanding weight loss challenges and encouraging health modification through natural diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. John’s passion is to research and write about the cutting edge alternative health technologies that affect our lives. Discover the latest alternative health news concerning diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and weight loss at My Optimal Health Resource