| Since one out of every eight women is destined to | | | | points to other forms of vitamin E as being |
| develop breast cancer, a tremendous amount of | | | | responsible for the dramatic reduction in breast |
| research has been undertaken to discover ways of | | | | cancer incidence observed in great human studies. |
| preventing this common killer. One compound that | | | | The individual tocopherols and tocotrienols have |
| has been extensively studied for its role in preventing | | | | different biological activities as they relate to their |
| breast cancer is tocotrieonls in vitamin E. | | | | effects on cellular function. Gamma tocopherol, for |
| When reviewing all the published evidence, it does | | | | instance, has demonstrated significant cancer |
| not appear that alpha-tocopherol vitamin E confers a | | | | prevention effects compared to alpha-tocopherol. |
| protective effect against breast cancer. Yet studies | | | | The potential anti-cancer effects of gamma |
| show that women who consume foods high in other | | | | tocopherol and the tocotrienols merits aggressive |
| forms of vitamin E (tocotrienols) substantially reduce | | | | human clinical research to determine if women who |
| their risk of contracting breast cancer (by as much as | | | | supplement with these unique forms of vitamin E can |
| 90%). | | | | reduce their risk of contracting breast cancer. Further |
| A cardinal feature of breast tumors are rapidly | | | | research will be conducted on breast cancer patients |
| proliferating cells. Estrogen drugs promote | | | | to see if the addition of tocotrienols to tamoxifen |
| hyper-proliferation and this is one reason why these | | | | improves long-term survival rates. |
| drugs may quadruple the incidence of breast cancer. | | | | There is no compelling evidence that standard |
| Studies of breast cancer cells in culture indicate that | | | | (alpha-tocopherol) vitamin E supplements reduce |
| tocotrienols have potent effects in inhibiting | | | | breast cancer incidence. While alpha-tocopherol has |
| proliferation and inducing apoptosis (cancer cell death). | | | | been shown to protect against a wide range of |
| These studies show that alpha-tocopherol does not | | | | other diseases, it would appear that the tocotrienols |
| have this same benefit. | | | | are the ideal form of vitamin E to specifically reduce |
| Alpha tocopherol acetate is the most widespread | | | | breast cancer risk. |
| supplement form of vitamin E, yet the evidence | | | | |