Study Suggests Annatto Tocotrienol Supports Bone Health

Malaysia According to a study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, using annatto tocotrienol with or without statins stimulated bone formation and reduced bone decay in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The study, published by the National University of Malaysia (NUM), found a combination of annatto tocotrienol (as DeltaGold® from American River Nutrition) and lovastatin in rat models was the most potent medicine and suggested a synergistic effect of the two components (ECAM. 2012; 10.1155/2012/960742). The study also showed significant improvements with using annatto tocotrienol versus using lovastatin alone, which did not obtain a beneficial response.

In a panel of NUM researchers, Ima-Nirwana Soelaiman, researcher at NUM said, "The combination of delta-tocotrienol plus lovastatin has the potential to be used as an anti-osteoporotic agent."

Vitamin E contains a family of eight separate but related molecules and includes : four tocopherolsalpha,beta, gamma, delta and four tocotrienols alpha, beta, gamma, delta. Although alpha-tocopherols is found in most multivitamins and is supplemented in foods, increased evidence suggests that Vitamin E interferes with the uptake and function of tocotrienols, American River Nutrition said.

Tocotrienols are derived from three major sources including rice, palm and annatto. Annatto is the only tocopherol-free source of tocotrienols.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis, a condition of decreasing bone density accompanied by high bone turn-over, is caused by estrogen deficiency in women when menopause begins. In the U.S., osteoporosis affects eight million women and contributes to 1.5 million fractures annually, costing $14 billion each year.

Osteoblastsreduced levels of bone-forming cells cause low levels of osteocalcin and osteoids that normally make up the bone matrix, as well as an increased levels of osteoclasts that are responsible for erosion of the bone surface.

In the study, researchers tested the effects of annatto tocotrienol by itself and in combination with lovastatin on osteoblast and osteoclast levels in a postmenopausal rat model. The results showed both the combination as well as the tocotrienol alone increased osteoblasts, osteocalcin and osteoid biosysthesis which are all indicative of bone formation. The combination also decreased the breakdown of bone proteins and the extent of eroded bone surface, suggesting bone decay was inhibited.

The current study utilized clinically acceptable doses of statin equivalent to a human dose of 80 mg, and confirmed statins alone were ineffective at a low dose. The dose of tocotrienol was given to rats was roughly equivalent to a human daily dose of 420 mg. Researchers noted delta tocotrienol in combination with statins, at clinically acceptable doses, has both bone antiosteoporotic and anabolic activity.

"It is of particular importance because recent studies in both animals and humans show that the most common form of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol, may actually weaken bones," said Barrie Tan, president of American River Nutrition. "Preventative use of tocotrienol supplements may be especially opportunistic for women with osteopenia, affecting 22 million in the U.S., to ward off further bone loss."