Tocopherols and tocotrienols are chemicals found in plants that share the activity of vitamin E. Vitamin E is therefore a group name for a number of phytochemicals with the physiological activity of the main tocopherol, that is alpha-tocopherol. Although these chemicals broadly share the same activity, in that they prevent the deterioration of cell membranes through a reduction in lipid peroxidation, they may differ slightly in their effectiveness in this regard and their physiological roles may be overlapping but also separate. One consequence of this is that the main dietary form of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is preferentially transported on the tocopherol transfer protein, and this inhibits the transfer of other forms of vitamin E to the liver, a step necessary to distribute the vitamin E to the tissues. Therefore high intakes of alpha-tocopherol may detrimentally affect the balance of vitamin E in the body, and for this reason, it is preferred to have an intake of a mixture of various tocopherols and tocotrienols, as might be found in food.
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