The fat-soluble nutrient known as vitamin E is renowned for its ability to benefit skin and reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases and breast cancer. A powerful antioxidant and moisturizer, it is now just becoming available in skin and hair products—but usually not in its most beneficial form.

You see, vitamin E is actually a group of related molecules, and most of the vitamin E found in supplements and cosmetics is in the form of tocopherols. Recent research indicates that tocotrienols—a lesser known class of vitamin E compounds—possess unique properties that make them even more useful in some medical and cosmetic applications.

Intrigued by these discoveries, I devised a test to measure the effect tocotrienols would have on the cell membrane. I found that under laboratory conditions, tocotrienols are 40 to 60 times more effective in preventing free radical damage than the better-known tocopherols.