Most of you will know that I am constantly exploring effective strategies to promote longevity and overall health in adults.
The recent interest in GLP-1 - as used by celebrities to lose weight - has been worrying me, however. We don't know the long term safety profile of this drug in non-diabetic patients, and now the NHS is having supply shortages for patients who actually need this drug because of off label prescriptions of it being issued for weight loss.
Nice one.
So in the search for alternatives, I came across some research on vitamin E.
We know that one crucial aspect in achieving better health and longevity is optimising blood sugar and metabolic health, as high blood sugar and metabolic syndrome can significantly increase the risk of disease and early mortality, affecting our quality of life.
You are probably already familiar with essential lifestyle interventions to safeguard metabolic health, such as:
maintaining a nutrient-dense, whole-food diet
getting sufficient sleep each night
engaging in regular exercise and
managing stress effectively.
However, for some individuals, additional support may be required to ensure optimal metabolic function. This is where tocotrienols come into play.
Tocotrienols are a remarkable form of vitamin E, distinct from tocopherols commonly found in most supplements. They offer superior health benefits and a more favorable safety profile.
The impact of tocotrienols on metabolic function is wide-ranging. They have been found to:
lower blood sugar levels
reduce triglycerides
reduce blood pressure and
reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver and abdominal area.
Moreover, tocotrienols improve insulin sensitivity and may even assist in weight loss.
The potential of tocotrienols to prevent and reverse metabolic conditions has attracted significant attention among researchers. Numerous studies in the past two years alone have shown their positive effects.
For instance, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrated that supplementing with 250–400 mg/d of tocotrienols reduced hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Another study highlighted how tocotrienols, combined with resveratrol, improved several cardiometabolic risk factors, including waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and inflammatory markers.
A systematic review further revealed that tocotrienols were beneficial in preventing and improving various aspects of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, encompassing lipid metabolism, mitochondrial stress, inflammation, and fibrosis.
The best way to incorporate tocotrienols into your daily routine is through supplementation, as there is no significant dietary source of vitamin E tocotrienols, unlike other essential nutrients.
Delta- and gamma-tocotrienols are the most potent forms, and annatto is the only known plant that provides 100% delta- and gamma-tocotrienols, free from other forms of tocotrienols and tocopherols.
[Annato plant; Bixa orillana - a promising source of vital tocotrienols]
For metabolic health, most studies suggest a dose of 250–300 mg/d of tocotrienols.
Notably, tocotrienols have shown remarkable benefits without causing any significant side effects, making them a promising option for promoting longevity and metabolic well-being.
So why don't we leave the diabetes drugs for the diabetics, and look at optimising our nutrition, sleep, movement and managing our stress instead of depriving acutely sick patients of their medicines.
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