ABSTRACT
Discovered in 1922, Vitamin E was once thought to be a single molecule, namely alpha-tocopherol (α-TOH). Recent research, however, has shown that Vitamin E is actually a family of molecules, consisting of the tocopherols and the tocotrienols, all of which are important for defending the body against free radical attack, or oxidative stress. New evidence demonstrates that, although α-tocopherol is the most potent antioxidant of the tocopherol sub-family, the other members of the vitamin E family have their own unique functions, conferring equally important health benets.
