EVOO Chemistry: Tocopherols and Vitamin E

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is often regarded as a superfood, due to its exemplary fatty acid profile and range of unique bioactive compounds. EVOO is also a good source of the fat-soluble vitamin E, with just 1 tablespoon providing 13% of the daily recommended value. Considering that vitamin E is one of the many vitamins the human body cannot make itself, dietary sources are especially important.

Vitamin E is found in eight different forms, four of which are called tocopherols and the remaining four are called tocotrienols. The dominant form in EVOO is alpha-tocopherol, typically clocking in at over 90% of the total in the oil. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, contributing to the stability of EVOO overtime by slowing oxidation. Recall that oxidation is the greatest threat to the shelf life of any oil, and the background rate of oxidation is accelerated by heat, light, and air exposure. As an antioxidant, vitamin E helps prevent this damage primarily by inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species that would otherwise deteriorate the oil. 

In our bodies, vitamin E acts in a similar way; it helps prevent the damage that oxidation can cause to our cells and the associated impacts on heart, brain, and overall body health. Oxidation can lead to chronic inflammation, which is a contributor to a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Alzheimer’s disease occurs in part due to protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation, which ultimately can lead to neuronal death. As an antioxidant, vitamin E can prevent this oxidation. Additionally, alpha-tocopherol has been shown to inhibit the production of compounds that facilitate cancer cell growth, such as collagenase and protein kinase C.* Vitamin E also helps inhibit platelet aggregation, which helps reduce the risk of arterial clotting.** Lastly, vitamin E has also been proven to help bolster human immune responses to aid our bodies’ defense systems.*** Clearly, the positive effect of vitamin E on the body's various systems is extensive.

Add to this, the other incredible health benefits afforded by other secondary compounds in EVOO, and you can see why this super food is consistently recommended as part of a healthy diet. 

*  Ricciarelli R, Maroni P, Ozer N, Zingg JM, Azzi A. Age-dependent increase of collagenase expression can be reduced by alpha-tocopherol via protein kinase C inhibition. Free Radic Biol Med. 1999 Oct;27(7-8):729-37. doi: 10.1016/s0891-5849(99)00007-6

**  Steiner M. Influence of vitamin E on platelet function in humans. J Am Coll Nutr. 1991 Oct;10(5):466-73. doi: 10.1080/07315724.1991.10718173

*** Lee GY, Han SN. The Role of Vitamin E in Immunity. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 1;10(11):1614. doi: 10.3390/nu10111614. PMID: 30388871