Evidence supporting the use of: Tocotrienols
For the health condition: Strokes

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Tocotrienols, a lesser-known form of vitamin E, have been investigated for their potential neuroprotective effects, including in the context of stroke. Several preclinical studies (mostly in animal models and in vitro) have demonstrated that tocotrienols can mitigate brain injury following ischemic stroke by reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting neuroinflammation, and protecting neuronal cells from apoptosis. These effects are believed to be due to tocotrienols’ potent antioxidant activity and their ability to modulate key signaling pathways involved in cell survival and inflammation.

For example, a study published in Stroke (2005) showed that δ-tocotrienol supplementation reduced stroke-induced brain damage in rats by inhibiting c-Src kinase and 12-lipoxygenase pathways. Another study in Journal of Neurochemistry (2011) found that tocotrienols could protect neural cells from glutamate-induced toxicity. Preliminary human studies have focused more on cardiovascular risk reduction and less directly on stroke, but a small trial suggested that tocotrienols might reduce white matter lesions in older adults, which are associated with stroke risk.

However, despite this promising preclinical data, there is a lack of large, high-quality clinical trials in humans directly demonstrating that tocotrienols prevent or treat stroke. Thus, the current scientific evidence supporting their use in stroke is limited and mostly preliminary, warranting a moderate-low evidence rating (2/5).

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