NIH Study on Tocotrienols for Brain Protection After Stroke

An NIH-supported study on vitamin E tocotrienol supplementation has found a potential brain-protective effect from the nutrient following ischemic stroke.

Published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, the study enlisted 20 dogs to 400 mg of full spectrum palm tocotrienol complex (Tocomin Suprabio) or placebo daily for 10 weeks. Stroke was induced 12 hours after final supplementation.

Compared to placebo, dogs supplementing with tocotrienols had significantly less volume on stroke-induced lesions. Overall size of lesions after 1 and 24 hours was reduced by 60% and 80% respectively, compared to placebo. Tocotrienol consumption appeared to prevent loss of white matter fiber tract connectivity while also increasing blood circulation through arteries in the brain that suffered stroke.

“We are particularly pleased to see that tocotrienols helped recovery from stroke by restoring blood flow through inducing the generation of new brain arteries that bypass stroke-affected areas,” said WH Leong, vice president of Carotech Inc., which supplied the tocotrienol.