How is UNIQUE E® Unique?

All Vitamin E Is Not Created Equal!

There are six major types of Vitamin E supplements on the market. They’re not all alike! To understand why, it’s important to understand what, exactly, Vitamin E is.

Vitamin E activity doesn’t come from one single molecule, but from a family of related molecules, called tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta). However, the United States government recognizes alpha-tocopherol to have Vitamin E activity, measured in International Units (IUs).

Consequently, because of this decision, only the alpha-tocopherol portion of a Vitamin E product is truly “Vitamin E.” As a result, the IU content of Vitamin E supplements generally refers only to alpha-tocopherol. This means that not every supplement offers the same level of benefit to the user—it all depends on the alpha-tocopherol content of the product.

Following is a list of the major available types of Vitamin E supplements on the market today and how their alpha-tocopherol content stacks up to their label claims.

Synthetic Vitamin E

dl-alpha tocopherol, or more correctly, All-racemic-alpha tocopherol

This chemically-produced type is the cheapest and the most widely sold. Unlike other vitamins, and their synthetic counterparts, synthetic Vitamin E is not identical to natural Vitamin E. It contains equal amounts of eight similar compounds. Only one is identical to natural Vitamin E and, therefore, in a form familiar to the body. As a result, it’s much more difficult for the body to process efficiently.

Natural Vitamin E

d-alpha-tocopherol, or more correctly, RRR-alpha-tocopherol

This source of Vitamin E is isolated from plant-source oils, primarily soy, and is further processed resulting in a Vitamin E supplement that is all d-alpha-tocopherol. Although more costly than synthetic, natural Vitamin E is now recognized to provide two times the IU value of an equal amount of synthetic Vitamin E. It’s widely considered to be the superior product for this reason.

Synthetic or Natural Vitamin E Esters

tocopheryl acetate, tocopheryl succinate or tocopheryl phosphate

Since all tocopherols primarily function as antioxidants, their stability is inherently very poor. Therefore, tocopherols are chemically altered to form more stabilized molecules called esters. Once consumed, enzymes in the small intestine remove the ester from the tocopherol molecule and the body more readily absorbs the tocopherol. Vitamin E esters are much more stable in supplements that contain minerals, such as iron and copper.

Natural Tocopherol-Tocotrienol Combinations

Supplements containing tocopherols and tocotrienols are mainly obtained from natural sources, such as palm, coconut or rice bran oil. They may contain various quantities of tocopherol molecules (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and tocotrienol molecules (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Since natural sources vary, quantities of the tocopherols and tocotrienols may also vary. This combination is not entirely ideal, since studies show that alpha-tocopherol inhibits the absorption of tocotrienols.

Natural Mixed Tocopherols

Mixture of alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols

Natural Mixed-tocopherols are isolated, purified and concentrated from plant-source oils, with no further processing to convert the non-alpha tocopherols to alpha-tocopherol. Since the alpha-form is generally recognized to provide the major Vitamin E activity, mixed tocopherols are typically converted to alpha-tocopherol. This neglects the value of gamma and delta tocopherol.

UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols

How is UNIQUE E® unique from the other products listed here? This all-natural, pure mixed-tocopherol concentrate consists of a proprietary mixture of the four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), as obtained from plant-source oils. It is totally devoid of fillers, allergens, colorants, additives, soy protein, wheat or gluten.

This concentrated formula provides all the benefits of the complete spectrum of the four tocopherols typically found in food. Each capsule contains a consistent amount of the four tocopherol molecules.

Recent research has shown that gamma and delta tocopherol have other functions that are unique and different from alpha-tocopherol. Thus, current scientific literature would suggest that the consumption of a significant amount of all four Vitamin E isomers is of greater benefit than simply consuming alpha-tocopherol. Gamma tocopherol has been established as especially vital for antioxidant support, as well as for immune system support and to promote a balanced inflammation response.

UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols is a proprietary formula, specifically designed to provide optimum assimilation and maximum benefits. A.C. Grace has provided UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols for over fifty years, and the product has proven itself over that many years. We adhere to strict quality control measures, including third party independent assay, to ensure UNIQUE E® is made according to a strict, proprietary formula.

See and Taste the Difference!

Most Vitamin E on the market looks light in color—that’s because the soft gels may contain up to 50% vegetable oil as a filler. UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols don’t! Bite into one of those oil-diluted Vitamin E soft gels and it will most likely taste bad. That’s because vegetable oil can turn rancid. UNIQUE E® Mixed Tocopherols soft gels have a mild taste, signaling plentiful ingredients without added fillers that go bad.