Posted by Larry Hoover on October 8, 2003, at 7:25:15
In reply to question for Larry, posted by oeps7 on October 6, 2003, at 10:13:03
> Hi Larry,
> I am taking the fish oil everyday- I really think it is helping.
> I supplement with 400 ius of vitamin e is that enough? I also heard dl-alpha is not as good. This is the one I am currently taking. What does the vitamin e actually do?
> Thanks for all your help,
> MaryIt's my pleasure, Mary. I find it very gratifying if people try new ideas, things within their control, and obtain some benefit as a result.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, like those found in fish oil, are highly reactive with oxidizers. That's what rancidity is, oxidized unsaturated fatty acids. If you want the fish oil to do you the most good, you have to protect it from oxidation.
Vitamin E, tocopherol, is kind of like a sacrificial molecule. It "commits suicide" to protect other molecules from the adverse effects of oxidizers. So, it's an anti-oxidant.
The molecular structure of tocopherol can be rearranged a little bit, and still be tocopherol. Each version is called an enantiomer, and there are eight of them. Synthetic vitamin E is dl-alpha, just two of the versions. There is some evidence that different versions do slightly different things, protecting different parts of the body (one theory). I suppose that natural vitamin is more effective, as it has some of those other versions, too. You have to read the label, to differentiate the products, but many companies call the better version "mixed tocopherols".
To enhance the antioxidant effect, also take some alpha-lipoic acid. It has the capabality of restoring "used" tocopherol, to allow it to be an anti-oxidant all over again.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:265922
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031003/msgs/266675.html