I wanted to say a few words about two amazing compounds found in nature of which I am particularly excited. In fact, they are so powerful as far as protecting our health, they can be truly life changing. I work as a science editor for a vitamin company called Medical Doctors Research. Basically, my job is to research the latest discoveries in medical science and how they affect various aspects of health. I came across these compounds in many of the medical abstracts I’ve read and was absolutely blown away by how healthful and important they are. I do apologize for the lengthy article, but I feel the information I am presenting is so valuable and helpful, it’s worth the time to read the entire article, especially at a time when there is so much stress-related illness and fatigue due to the economy.

#1. The All-Time Best Immune Booster is a Fungus…

The first one I need to talk about is an extract of Maitake mushrooms called D fraction, which was first discovered by a famous Japanese microbiologist, Dr. Nanba. It’s amazing that the whole world hasn’t discovered this incredible immune-support extract, which is sold as a daily supplement. Maitake is believed to help reduce symptoms of a cold or to prevent one.

The Japanese have known about the health benefits of Maitake for centuries. And here in America, natural pharmacists and nutritionists are totally convinced that D fraction is the way to go if you want to stay healthy. Unfortunately, the general public is not so aware of the uses of Maitake. In fact, I never heard about Maitake until I started working in a health food store several years ago. One customer came in and purchased a bottle and said he hasn’t gotten a cold for years since he started taking Maitake. The on-site nutritionist explained how Maitake works and how it stimulated the process of phagocytosis, which is the process of immune cells killing harmful invaders.

What’s so special about Maitake is that, unlike Echinacea, you can take it every single day because there isn’t the risk of damaging your liver like Echinacea can do if taken for an extended period of time. Being able to take an immune support supplement is important, since you never know when someone next to you will start sneezing or coughing. Maitake is great. It gives you immune coverage 24/7.

I love Maitake so much, that after my "non-believer-in-supplements" wife saw how healthy I stayed, she started taking it. She works at a job where she is in close contact with customers and sales associates who touch the phones and computer keyboards quite a bit. She gave it to all her friends and they swear by it, as she does.

Of course, the FDA won’t allow publicizing any claims about how beneficial D fraction is to our immune system, but I felt I had to tell the general public how important this supplement is. And by the way, D fraction is such a powerful immune-support substance that the New York Academy of Science is studying it for its potential in preventing or reducing tumors!

OK, I promised I would tell you about another compound that is incredible for our health. So here’s my opening message to all my readers…

#2. Do Not Take Another Vitamin E Supplement Until You’ve Read This…

Researchers discovered that vitamin E has 8 fractions and chances are your vitamin is missing the most important parts for your health. If you take only alpha tocopherol without tocotrienols, you’re cheating yourself of the amazing benefits tocotrienols offer.

The foremost world authority on tocotrienols is Dr. Barry Tan who has discovered that

South American annatto is abundant in tocotrienols. In an interview with Dr. Tan, he was quoted as saying, "Carotene is my love but tocotrienol is my fate," confesses Dr. Tan. "I went to Malaysia and discovered that natural palm oil is a rich orange color. That orange is carotene—and the signature is almost analogous to that of a carrot! But lo and behold, when I extracted the carotene, I found that the fraction of palm oil without the color had potent antioxidant properties. It looked like Vitamin E, and it turned out to be tocotrienols. Years later I stumbled on to annatto, a South American and true Amazon Rainforest plant with a red pod rich in carotenoids. Once again it was the beautiful carotene that attracted me, and once again when I tried to find out what was protecting that carotene from decomposing, it turned out to be tocotrienols, and nearly exclusively delta-tocotrienol. I became very interested in this potent antioxidant. What’s even better is, in annatto we have discovered a natural source of tocotrienol that is tocopherol-free and needs no chemical manipulation," Tan added.

"The timing was perfect, as tocotrienols have been gaining increasing recognition for their cardiovascular benefits in general, and their unique cholesterol-lowering properties," says Tan.

To understand why tocotrienols are so beneficial, it’s also important to understand why taking typical vitamin E-- alpha tocopherol is so undesirable.

Taking too much Alpha Tocopherol…

• Blocks absorption of tocotrienols J Nutr 133:428-434

• Compromises tocotrienol’s ability to reduce cholesterol J Nutr 126:389-394

• Induces breakdown of tocotrienols J Lip res, Feb 6

• Increases cholesterol in high doses Ann NY Acad Sci 1031:44-59

• Interferes with the cardio benefits of tocotrienols

The benefits of Tocotrienols…

Vitamin E in the form of delta-tocotrienol can lower cholesterol by an astonishing 15-22%, and markedly improve LDL/HDL ratios, while preserving and even increasing Coenzyme Q10. Unlike the "blockbuster" statin drugs, which deplete CoQ10 and may lead to a host of uncomfortable side effects including muscle deterioration and pain, Vitamin E in the form of delta-tocotrienol preserves CoQ10 and serves as a powerful antioxidant that protects lipoproteins. It also has a markedly beneficial effect on cardiovascular function.

In fact, delta- tocotrienol may be one of the most significant, new heart-protective nutrients available today. This is important news, since more than 102 million Americans suffer from high cholesterol (over 200 mg/dL) and cardiovascular disease remains our country’s top killer.

In addition, there is an impressive array of laboratory studies demonstrating that delta-tocotrienol markedly inhibits Chlamydia infection (that some scientists believe is linked with heart disease); and, that both delta- and gamma-tocotrienol are potentially potent anti-cancer nutrients.

Delta-tocotrienol is present at best in only trace amounts in Vitamin E supplements, while tocopherols dominate. Tocopherols are found in corn, soybean and olive oils—staples of the American diet. In contrast, oils like palm, annatto and rice are rich in the tocotrienols—and rarely used in America. And yet, according to the latest scientific research, the tocotrienols, especially delta, have health promoting properties that may herald a new golden age for the golden capsule. In brief:

PROTECTS THE ENTIRE CELL

• Tocotrienols are absorbed better than tocopherols, probably because of their unique shape and tail, which allows them to move throughout the entire cell.

MORE POWERFUL AND BIOAVAILABLE THAN TOCOPHEROLS

• Tocotrienols are a far stronger class of antioxidants than tocopherols—they can be up to 40 to 60-fold more powerful as a free radical scavenger and up to 70-fold more bio-available. And delta-tocotrienol, in particular, is four times as powerful as the three other tocotrienols.

CARDIOVASCULAR

• Delta-tocotrienol may be highly protective in atherosclerosis—more so than alpha-tocopherol. It can do a much better job at reducing the fatty streaks that form on artery walls (a first step in atherosclerosis), it helps stop monocytes from sticking to blood vessel lining, and inhibits "platelet aggregation" (sticky platelets that clump together). This form of vitamin E helps support healthy cholesterol levels and helps

• Decrease blood pressure (J Physiol Pharm 54:319-27)

• Decrease carotid stenosis and risk of stroke (Lipids 30:1179-83)

• Decrease plaque formation (J nutr 130:2420-2426)

• Two of the tocotrienols, delta and gamma, can lower cholesterol by 15-22% and improve LDL/HDL ratios. (J Med Chem 35:3595-606)

• Reduces triglycerides and diabetes risk (Atherosclerosis 182:367-74)

FIGHTS CHLAMYDIA

• Delta-tocotrienol may fight Chlamydia infection. Chlamydia is implicated in heart disease, and delta-tocotrienol helps stop Chlamydia from entering cells via "lipid rafts" (yes, literally, little boats of fat).

• Alpha-tocopherol, the "famous" vitamin E, can actually compete with all the other vitamin Es (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and unfortunstely blocks their health-promoting effects. Worse, alpha-tocopherol accelerates the breakdown of tocotrienols and tocopherols. In fact, alpha-tocopherol can increase cholesterol if given in high doses.

NERVE CELLS

• Delta-tocotrienol functions as a highly protective antioxidant for neurons.

CANCER

• Laboratory and animal studies on tocotrienols offer promising early results in the treatment of cancer. For instance, delta-tocotrienol can inhibit lung, liver, breast, pancreas, skin, and prostate cancer in laboratory experiments on mice and on human cancer cells.

• Was shown to induce cell death of estrogen-responsive and nonresponsive human breast cancer cells in culture. J Nutr 127:544S-548S

• Highly malignant cells are more sensitive to the effects of tocotrienols than less malignant cells. Curr Top Nutr Res 1:121-136

HOW DO TOCOTRIENOLS COMPARE TO OTHER ANTIOXIDANTS ON THE ORAC SCALE (rating system for antioxidant content of compounds)?

Krill Oil 40

Resveratrol (polyphenols from grapes and red wine) 791

EGCGs (polyphenols from green tea) 1048

Delta & Gamma Tocotrienols 1059

Wow! Just when you thought red wine, green tea, or krill oil were kings of the antioxidants, Tocotrienols beat them all! So tocotrienols are what you want for your heart, brain, blood sugar, cardio system, and immune system! And annatto tocotrienols is the best source you can get! SO STOP TAKING VITAMIN E CAPS, AND START TAKING ANNATTO TOCOTRIENOLS NOW! They contain 90% delta-tocotrienol and 10% gamma-tocotrienol, and are tocopherol-free

Written by Larry Hirsch, Science Editor for Medical Doctors Research vitamin manufacturer.