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Gamma-tocopherol Greatly Lowers Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer

Gamma-tocopherol is the major form of vitamin E in many plant seeds and in the U.S. diet, but has drawn little research attention compared with alpha-tocopherol, the predominant form of vitamin E in supplements, and the form used in virtually all studies, including several recent studies suggesting that vitamin E provides little cardiovascular or anti-cancer benefit. (Cook NR, Albert CM, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2007; Lonn E, Bosch J, et al, JAMA 2005) However, other recent studies indicate that gamma-tocopherol possesses unique features that distinguish it from alpha-tocopherol and that it is more important to human health. (Jiang Q, Christen S, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001; Robinson I, de Serna DG, et al. Endocr Pract 2006)

Both gamma-tocopherol and its metabolite, gamma-CEHC, but not alpha-tocopherol, inhibit the activity of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, and thus have potent anti-inflammatory effects. (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, Advil, Vioxx  and Celebrex work by blocking COX enzyme activity.) In addition, supplementation with alpha-tocopherol may promote inflammation since high doses of alpha tocopherol actually deplete plasma and tissue gamma-tocopherol, in contrast with supplementation with gamma-tocopherol, which increases both.

A 5-year prospective study of 295,344 men (aged 50 to 71) looking at the relationship between prostate cancer risk, supplemental vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and dietary vitamin E (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherols) found that while alpha tocopherol had no effect on prostate cancer risk, gamma tocopherol intake was significantly inversely related to risk of advanced prostate cancer. Men consuming the most gamma tocopherol had a 32% lower risk of advanced prostate cancer. (Wright ME, Weinstein SJ, et al. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007)

Gamma tocopherol supplementation may also be of special importance to postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Other recent research shows a significant decrease in levels of gamma tocopherol and cardio-protective CoQ10, plus an increase in alpha tocopherol levels in postmenopausal women on HRT. (Palan PR, Connell K, et al. Biofactors 2005)

References

Cook NR, Albert CM, Gaziano JM, et al. A randomized factorial trial of vitamins C and E and beta carotene in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in women: results from the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1610-8.
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Lonn E, Bosch J, Yusuf S, et al. Effects of long-term vitamin E supplementation on cardiovascular events and cancer: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005 Mar 16;293(11):1338-47.
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Jiang Q, Christen S, Shigenaga MK, Ames BN. gamma-tocopherol, the major form of vitamin E in the US diet, deserves more attention. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Dec;74(6):714-22.
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Robinson I, de Serna DG, Gutierrez A, Schade DS. Vitamin E in humans: an explanation of clinical trial failure. Endocr Pract. 2006 Sep-Oct;12(5):576-82.
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Wright ME, Weinstein SJ, Lawson KA, Albanes D, Subar AF, Dixon LB, Mouw T, Schatzkin A, Leitzmann MF. Supplemental and dietary vitamin E intakes and risk of prostate cancer in a large prospective study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Jun;16(6):1128-35.
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Palan PR, Connell K, Ramirez E, Inegbenijie C, Gavara RY, Ouseph JA, Mikhail MS. Effects of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on serum levels of coenzyme Q10 and other lipid-soluble antioxidants. Biofactors. 2005;25(1-4):61-6.
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