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GAMMA-TOCOPHER0L

Vitamin E actually comes in 4 forms, of which the important ones for humans are alpha- and gamma-. There is debate about the merits of gamma-tocopherol, which is found in natural vitamin E, and in natural vitamin E tablets that specifically state contains gamma-tocopherol on the label.

2005: Spring/Summer 2005 Oregon State Univ. Linus Pauling Institute Research Report *Recent Research on Vitamins C and E, S. Lawson - "Alpha-tocopherol is maintained in human plasma longer and at higher levels than gamma-tocopherol, but gamma-tocopherol, the main form of dietary vitamin E in the United States, may be present long enough for biological effects yet to be elucidated."

PRO-gamma: A further specification can be made based on the study of Ames et al (3). Low density lipoprotein is maintained in a reduced state by various antioxidants, including alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. When LDL is oxidized, it is bound by receptors in the circulatory system and begins a cascade leading to the accumulation of plaque in the arteries. Ames' study showed first, that supplementation with pure alpha-tocopherol, the commonly available form of vitamin E supplements, displaces gamma-tocopherol from LDL particles. They further showed that gamma- tocopherol traps different types of free radicals more effectively than alpha-tocopherol. On this basis they recommend that any supplementation with vitamin E contain both the alpha- and gamma-forms of vitamin E.

ANTI-gamma: Vitamin E-Gamma-tocopherol - Notes from The Linus Pauling Institute Research Report Fall/Winter 2004; From "All about E" by Dr. Maret Traber, who convened the vitamin C panel for the 2000 U.S. Food and Nutrition Board
" Since vitamin E is safe, you can take it as a supplement, and you won't have to worry if you have enough vitamin E...We know that vitamin E can prevent LDL from being oxidized...The Nurses' Health Study found that women who exercised, ate lots of fruits and vegetables, and took vitamin E supplements had 45% less coronary heart disease mortality...If you are taking vitamin E and get bruised easily, you may be taking too much. On the other hand, blood clotting causes heart attacks and strokes, so vitamin E may have some benefit there...[If you bleed abnormally, she recommends against vitamin E] If you want to get 200 IU of natural vitamin E, you can buy 400 IU supplements of synthetic vitamin E at maybe half the cost of 200 IU natural vitamin E"
I discussed this because Dr. Bruce Ames has reported significant potential benefits from gamma. She argues that because gamma is preferentially eliminated and alpha is stored, gamma may be less important. See articles M.G.Traber et al, Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2004) and S. W. Leonard et al, Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2004). However, if gamma is useful for trapping free radicals, it may be used up in the process, and that might be the cause for elimination from the body. This question is unclear to me. As alpha-tocopherol is much cheaper than natural vitamin E which contains gamma, I will keep taking just alpha, 400 iu per day.