American River Nutrition launches campaign to increase understanding of tocotrienols

25 Sep 2017 --- As part of its drive to improve the industry’s understanding of the difference between tocotrienols and other forms of vitamin E, American River Nutrition company is set to introduce a new campaign at SupplySide West in Las Vegas, which will include a new website, new logos and presentations to health care provider groups. 

The presentations promise to be on current research into the different forms of vitamin E and their benefits and limitations by founder Dr. Barrie Tan, an expert in the field of vitamin E tocopherols and tocotrienols.

“American River Nutrition’s best education resource is company founder and leader Dr. Barrie Tan, a pioneering scientist and researcher credited with identifying the primary sources of plant-based tocotrienols, including rice, palm and the virtually 100 percent tocotrienol-producing annatto plant,” Anne Trias, Product Director, American River Nutrition, tells NutritionInsight. “Dr. Tan leads the vitamin E educational program through speaking engagements to a wide variety of stakeholders and health care practitioners.”

The company is also engaged in industry education through media channels, according to Trias. “Further, because tocotrienol is the lesser known form of vitamin E, the company is performing more clinical trials to differentiate tocotrienol’s scientific importance compared to tocopherols,” she adds.

When it comes to the products it plans to present, American River is currently focused on its range of tocotrienol products that include oils, powder and bulk softgels, according to Trias.

Differentiating subgroups
The company is working to differentiate the two subgroups of vitamin E, and the sources and compositions of tocotrienols. “Over 60 percent of the research on tocotrienols has been published just in the last ten years, and has identified significant benefits not shared by the currently more popular alpha-tocopherol antioxidant,” says Trias.

Recent discoveries highlighted include alpha-tocopherol interference with tocotrienol functions, along with the anti-inflammatory properties observed with tocotrienol application in cardiovascular and metabolic disease, cancer, bone disorder and radiation exposure.

“Research has identified tocotrienols as providing some significant benefits on inflammatory disorders such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Studies have also found that alpha-tocopherol appears to undercut the benefits of other forms of vitamin E, and product formulation doesn’t yet take that into account,” says Dr. Tan. “It is our mission to increase industry understanding and use of tocotrienols, and thus have a positive impact on human health.”

“As understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the various forms of vitamin E increases, it’s important that product formulators seek out and incorporate this new information into their vitamin E offerings,” Trias adds. “American River can be an incredibly valuable resource in this process because the principals have worked on tocotrienols longer than any other company.”

“American River is the foremost expert on vitamin E similar to Kaneka’s role with CoQ10, and Sabinsa’s with curcumin and their focus on science-based ingredients,” Trias asserts.

By Paul Creasy