TOCO-8 - Claims 41% increase in hair count in 5 months

As I’ve read, it seems to be tocotrienols, and not the tocopherols, that were able to produce the results mentioned in the study. There are other companies, like Jarrows, that make similar formulas. One, called TOCO-SORB, comes in capsule form, and contains more tocotrienols.

Interesting article.

Points out you need ALL 8 forms of Vitamin E.It increases sperm motility (good for finasteride users like myself) + “adding Vit E to cancer cells inhibits the production of the androgen receptor (AR)”

Why You Need Vitamin E for Prostate Health

The reason Vitamin E supplements receive such big press is that our common foods are generally deficient in this vitamin. So, when we supplement and finally get enough of it, all kinds of “miraculous” things seem to happen.

A lot of people spend a lot of time and money in laboratories looking for prostate treatments that wouldn’t be necessary if men were more properly nourished.

Many common prostate problems would be rare if our diets contained adequate nutritional elements. Prostate health would then be the norm for men of all ages.

Everyone has heard about Vitamin E and all of it’s “miraculous” powers. The fact is, all the vitamins have “miraculous” powers. We would literally die without any one of them. They all perform various functions that create the miracle we know as life.

Vitamin E is very important in 2 specific roles in male health. Impotence and prostate cancer.

Let’s Look At Impotence First

Deficiency of this vitamin causes loss of fertility in men. It is required for the formation of key sex hormones and enzymes responsible for sperm production. Deficiency inhibits the formation of sperm.

It may also aid in sperm mobility.

Lack of antioxidants (Vit E included) cause free radical damage to the cells of the body. The delicate wall of the sperm cell is highly succeptible to this kind of damage. This can cause infertility.

Vit E is a “free radical scavenger”. It can prevent this damage. It increases the ability of sperm to fertilize an egg. The sperm become better able to attach to an egg.

In clinical study, men taking an E supplement for 3 months (400mg per day, natural, not synthetic) had sperm that were 2 1/2 times as potent as before the test began. (R. Bayer, “Treatment of Infertility with Vitamin E”, Int J Fertil 1960; 5:70-78)

Another study in Saudi Arabia found that 20% of the men with low fertility, who were previously unable to conceive a child, became fathers!

Vit E is used up more quickly when consuming fish oils and vegetable oils. So, be sure to add Vitamin when using these oils.

Vitamin E and Prostate Cancer

Worldwide research shows the benefits of adding the correct type of Vitamin E to your diet to be amazing!

In a Clinical study by Dr. Demetrius Albanes, daily Vit E supplementation reduced prostate cancer by 32% and the death rate from prostate cancer by 41%. Pretty darn impressive!

In laboratory test by Dr. Qing Jiong, gamma tocopherol (one of the 8 natural forms of the vitamin. And, the form most present in our foods.) was shown to induce death in laboratory grown cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. It did this by interrupting spingolipid synthesis.

The study also showed that the anti-cancer effect was enhanced with the use of mixed tocopherols (containing gama tocopherol).

Research team led by Dr. Shuyuan Yeh found that Vit E caused a:

PSA Drop of As Much As 90%

With a decrease of 25% - 50% in the number of cancer cells. They found alpha-tocopherol-succinate to be most effective.

The researchers from New York’s University of Rochester found that adding Vit E to cancer cells inhibits the production of the androgen receptor (AR) which is needed in order for prostate cancer cells to grow and develope.


The Type of Vitamin E That Is Effective
There are many forms of Vitamin E available in the stores and on line. Be sure to use natural form only. Stay away from all the synthetic forms. They do not give the results and they are all toxic. They are labeled dl-alpha-tocopherol not d-alphatocopherol (dl is synthetic).

It is better to use a Vitamin E Complex rather than a single form. Nature always works with nutrients in combinations. Hundreds of combinations. Never as isolates. Complex combinations is the way nutrients occur in nature.

There are 8 natural forms of Natural Vitamin E. D-alpha-tocopherol is the most common.

The test by Dr. Shuyuan Yeh used alpha-tocopherol-succinate.

The research done by Dr. Qing Jiong used gama-tocopherol. This form is not as commonly known. It was used most effectively in a mixed tocopherol combination.

Vitamin E is also an oil soluable vitamin. It requires fats for absorbtion. You need some fat in your meal to use this vitamin effectively. Fat free and extreme low fat diets deprive you of all the different oil soulable vitamins.

Although we commonly and effectively supplement with vitamins, it is best to make sure you also consume foods that are high in the complete natural nutrients you need. That way you receive the essential nutritional complexes (combinations).

Good and Bad
Natural Sources of Vitamin E
“Vegetable Oils” claim to be a good source of Vit E. You have probabally heard them called “poly-unsaturated” oils. Although these oils contain a small amount of the vitamin, they are dangerous to your health and not a good way to get the vitamin.

All commercial vegetable oils are highly processed. This renders them basically useless.

Cold pressed vegetable oils (with the exception of raw oilve and coconut) are very high in Omega 6 and Omega 9 fats. These “polyunsaturated oils” (Omega 6, and Omega 9) create dangerous amounts of free radicals and can greatly increase your cancer risk.

Raw fresh cold pressed wheat germ oil and fresh raw wheat germ are excellent natural sources of Vitamin E. Whole raw almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, and avocado (California) are good also.

The best healthy source of natural Vit E and of gama-tocopherol is raw (cooking destroys and alters the vitamin) sesame seeds.

Be Well…

William

Vitamin E and Hair Loss
http://www.naturalhairlossremedies.com/vitamin-e-and-hair-loss.html

Vitamin E is important for healthy hair growth and reducing hair loss. Vitamin E can be found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Vitamin E increases oxygen uptake, which improves circulation to the scalp. It improves health and growth of hair. Since hair health is tied to the immune health, vitamin E is believed to stimulate hair growth by enhancing the immune function.

A Canadian physician who started going grey was able to reverse the process by taking 800iu of vitamin E in capsule form daily. At the age of 68 after some 15 years of taking vitamin E he still has a healthy head of thick black hair, and is the envy of men half his age.

Vitamin E has also been shown to retard the ageing process. It has been suggested that grey hair is a symptom of body degeneration so a supplement of vitamin E can only be beneficial whether you have grey hair or not.

The best natural sources of vitamin E are wheat germ, Soya beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach and eggs.

Quick note on curcumin:

While I have read much to the contrary, I did come across a site (www.turmeric-curcumin.com) that states, “The use of the chemical piperine from pepper, trade-named Bioperine, was a poor attempt at increasing bioavailability at the expense of the epithelial lining of the stomach, small intestine and bowels… If you want to use capsules, make certain they DO NOT contain a pepper extract that is advertised to improve bioavailability.”

Here is where you can buy the Italian hair supplement of Curcumin & Resveratrol, called “Capsures:” http://www.corpo-sano.net/en/hair-supplements.html#Capsures%20-%20Hair%20Supplements

Looks expensive, though.

» Here is where you can buy the Italian hair supplement of Curcumin &
» Resveratrol, called “Capsures:”
» http://www.corpo-sano.net/en/hair-supplements.html#Capsures%20-%20Hair%20Supplements
»
» Looks expensive, though.

The Natural, I have been reading alot about the TOCO -8. How is your regimin working for you? I have been taking SAW P along with some vitamins. I feel as if it maybe helping a little, but im still shedding.

This is a picture of my thinning problem.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2843026360103282845aHyXuY

» » Here is where you can buy the Italian hair supplement of Curcumin &
» » Resveratrol, called “Capsures:”
» »
» http://www.corpo-sano.net/en/hair-supplements.html#Capsures%20-%20Hair%20Supplements
» »
» » Looks expensive, though.
»
» The Natural, I have been reading alot about the TOCO -8. How is your
» regimin working for you? I have been taking SAW P along with some
» vitamins. I feel as if it maybe helping a little, but im still shedding.
»
» This is a picture of my thinning problem.
» http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2843026360103282845aHyXuY

Thanks for providing the picture, Randle. Let me give you my two cents on what you need to do, given your loss situation.

You need to curb your DHT-related hair loss powerfully and quickly. I’d use finasteride or dutasteride. Saw Palmetto and Betasitosterol can work somewhat IMO, but I think you need industrial grade help (and I say this even though I am thinking of stopping using Dutasteride because of the side effects). You also need regrowth to happen before the follicles of hair you’ve already lost die for good: Minoxidil 5% for that. You need to stop inflammation (which sometimes you can’t even feel): avoid sugars, breads, pastas and stick with meat and vegetables. Take plenty of fish oil; several grams a day. Look at posts on this site by Hogan38; he had some advice on which oils to take instead of or perhaps in addition to fish oil.

Good luck. Damn these baldness genes we got from our parents!

Randle,

I am not a big fan of multi-vitamins, unless you have a real deficiency. And I do not think that Saw Palmetto, by itself, will prevent further thinning.

The clinical studies provided by Col look promising, indeed, primarily because they are specific to our cause, namely, to stop thinning (and regrow hair). I am going to wait a couple of months before posting my progress with this regimen, just to be sure.

It would be great if we could establish “a control group of posters” here at Hairsite, and then report our findings.

Note to those using Super-Bio Curcumin: It has been receiving some negative feedback in different forums “unrelated” to hair loss: Myeloma Hope: Regimen Correction

Here is a herbal supplement with Curcumin, Resveratrol, and other treats: Buy New Roots GOTU KOLA 500MG - 100 VCAPS at NationalNutrition.ca

» Here is a herbal supplement with Curcumin, Resveratrol, and other treats:
» Buy New Roots GOTU KOLA 500MG - 100 VCAPS at NationalNutrition.ca

THe natural, Thats great. How long have you been taking the TOCO8, and I know you want to wait a few months, but have you noticed anything at all from the start?

Im probably going to drop the SP soon.

Randle,

I have been taking TOCO-SORB by Jarrow for a little over a month. Added the curcumin and resveratrol recently.

Let’s wait until June/July before I detail my “results.” As you’ve read, the studies themselves took at least this long. A one or two month assessment will not help you or anyone else, IMHO.

This is from Dr. Ray Sahelian:

Q. It is my understanding, that based on prior research, that curcumin bioavailability is compromised and in turn the absorption and therapeutic blood levels are low. I also understand that various research trials are demonstrating the concurrent use of piperine, which enhances the absorption and bioavailability. I am curious if your research supports this as well and if there is any further information that you might have to support this fact.

A. We have not seen convincing research that indicates piperine is needed for curcumin absorption or bioavailability. Almost all studies with curcumin have not used any piperine, therefore we tend to understand that curcumin works well by itself.

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=KA-1973&srccode=cii_10043468&cpncode=12-45825909-2&source=SZKA-1973

I have noticed that the dosage recommended on herbal bottles is twice as much as was used in the aforementioned studies on curcumin/resveratrol. Perhaps there is a reason why the testers used a much lower dosage:

Can you get too many antioxidants?

"When we hear the word “antioxidants,” many of us automatically think how good they are for us. In our minds, antioxidants are the good guys. We may not be exactly sure what they do, but the “anti” in their name tells us that they protect us by fighting off something bad. And if they’re the good guys fighting the bad guys, how could we possibly get too many?

On top of the good guys versus bad guys perspective, we also know that many antioxidants are vitamins - vitamins as familiar to us as A and C and E - and minerals such as zinc and selenium. And that these are nutrients that we know are of benefit to our health (There are other antioxidants, though, that are not nutrients at all, but rather compounds in our bodies with various physiological function; for example, uric acid and ceruloplasmin are two of the key antioxidants found in our bloodstream.)

Yet, it turns out that it is just the black and white story that if antioxidants are good for us, then more is better. Like an orchestra that needs the correct representation of instruments to make a beautiful symphony, our bodies need an array of antioxidants, not just this one or that one, to create harmony in our health."

"During the 1990’s, researchers began to conduct very large-scale studies (involving tens of thousands of participants) to determine the benefits of antioxidants in fairly high doses. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene, and Cancer prevention study (ATBC), the Physicians’ Health Study (PHS), the Beta-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET), and the Skin Cancer Prevention Study (SCPS) were among these large-scale studies. One very unexpected result in several of these studies was the fact that antioxidant dietary supplements actually increased the risk of disease instead of lowering it. In fact, some studies were abruptly canceled, with letters being sent to participants, explaining that antioxidant supplementation seemed to be putting them at greater health risk. While many of these studies have been criticized, and their results debated among scientists, this decade of research changed our thinking about antioxidants and their health role. What we are now realizing is that it is not just antioxidants working in isolation that have benefits but that antioxidants need each other to function optimally and promote our optimal health.

The problem with thinking about antioxidants as “good guys” is that every antioxidant can become a prooxidant, i.e., it can reverse its role in our metabolism. In chemical terms, when a substance functions as an antioxidant, what it does it give away an electron. Electron-give-away is what antioxidants do. (This potential power for giving away electrons is called reduction potential).

What’s so good about a compound that gives away electrons is that it can donate it to a “reactive” substance that is in need of one since substances in our body can become far too reactive when they are left with an uneven number of electrons. (Electrons like to exist in pairs, and don’t like being “unpaired”). One leftover electron is enough to cause trouble.

When a substance has a leftover electron and becomes too reactive, it can damage anything nearby, including the wall of a blood vessel or the membrane of a cell. (Highly reactive substances that cause damage to body parts include a group of substances you may already be familiar with, called free radicals). If these highly reactive substances can just get hold of one additional electron, they can be quieted and potential damage can be avoided. That’s what’s so good about antioxidants that give away electrons.

However, when an antioxidant gives away an electron, another problem occurs. The antioxidant itself becomes a radical, because it now has a leftover electron. When vitamin C (ascorbic acid) acts as an antioxidant and gives away an electron, it becomes vitamin C radical (ascorbyl radical). It’s no longer helpful to us as an antioxidant (or a vitamin) in this form. Like all radicals, we don’t want excessive amounts of ascorbyl radical in our body. But what’s the solution?"

Antioxidants by Ray Sahelian, M.D.,

Q: Is it possible to take too many antioxidants?

A. Yes, it is possible to take too many antioxidants. Free radicals may be needed for certain functions, such as fighting certain germs or infections.

Some Good Things to Say About Free Radicals

Copyright ©1995 by Jack Challem
Reproduced from The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter.
All rights reserved.

"I’ve been taking vitamin supplements since 1969 -more than a quarter-century- and writing about them for health magazines since 1974. I interview some of the best vitamin docs in the world, read medical journals and nutrition books, and have even written a couple, too. Though I succumb to an occasional cheeseburger, my diet has been generally good, with the overall emphasis on wholesome foods.

You could say I was an “early adopter” of the antioxidant craze. Until a year ago, I included in my daily regimen 1,600 IU of vitamin E, 100,000 IU of mixed beta- and alpha-carotene, and about 15 grams of vitamin C. High doses-but after all, I should know what I’m doing. Right?

Not necessarily. With all the attention given to antioxidants, a lot of questions still remain unanswered. How much is enough? How much is too much? And are free radicals really all that bad?

I began asking these questions in 1994 because the vitamins I took should have left me feeling absolutely energized. That’s what the research says. And what the advertising for antioxidant supplements often suggests. But over the past 10 years or so, I’ve felt far more fatigued than I should have. Tired in the morning. Tired in the afternoon. Tired in the evening but, I should note, not suffering from crippling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

It wasn’t easy finding the answers. But I eventually tracked down the person who would know them: Denham Harman, M.D., Ph.D. He’s the fellow who conceived the free radical theory of aging back in November 1954.

To my surprise, I discovered that I was doing too good of a job quenching those dangerous free radicals we all hear about. I was taking too many antioxidants. I imagined myself at a meeting of Antioxidants Anonymous and confessing, “My name is Jack C. and I began taking antioxidants at the age of nineteen…”

With all the talk about the anti-aging and anti-disease benefits of antioxidants, we too easily forget about the essential role of free radicals. That’s right-free radicals are essential for health. Of course, many people (like me) reasonably argue that most people are exposed to far too many free radicals and need to boost their antioxidant intake for protection. But there are dangers, I found, in simplifying the issue of free radicals and antioxidants to one of a biochemical gunfight at the OK Corral.

Free radicals, of course, are molecules with unpaired electrons aggressively looking for a mate. Oxygen free radicals are particularly dangerous because they react readily with other molecules. When they find a mate-just about anything will do-they can oxidize cell membranes and cholesterol and disrupt deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in ways that accelerate aging and lead to cancer.

Cigarette smoke, air pollution, exposure to sunlight, radiation, pesticides, some drugs, and chemotherapic agents produce free radicals. So do polyunsaturated fats. If you live at a high altitude or fly frequently, you have to deal with large numbers of free radicals because of the higher levels of gamma-ray radiation. (Thicker air at lower altitudes absorbs the radiation and reduces exposure.) Even over-exercising generates extra free radicals.

But the biggest source of free radicals is our own bodies. Why on Earth would we produce the very seeds of our destruction? There are some very good reasons that you generally don’t hear about. White blood cells use free radicals to destroy bacteria and virus-infected cells. According to Bruce Ames, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley, these free radicals prevent immediate death from infection. In addition, with the help of other free radicals, the liver’s cytochrome P-450 enzymes detoxify harmful chemicals, again, protecting us from a quick death.

Free radicals are also a normal byproduct of everyday respiration-breathing-in which our bodies use oxygen and generate energy. The process of creating energy, called bioenergetics or oxidative phosphorylation, is reminiscent of the childhood game “hot potato.” Molecules get passed around, as the cell tries to keep the good ones and getting rid of the bad ones.

The sheer scale of this activity is a mind-blower. Ames has estimated that each cell in the body suffers 10,000 free radical “hits” each day. The body’s own antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione, form the foundation of an exquisit defense against free radicals. But this defense isn’t perfect. That’s why free radical damage-oxidation-accumulates. It turns good cholesterol bad, causes cataracts, contributes to Alzheimer’s disease, and leads to cancer. Underscoring all of these changes, free radicals age us, sometimes gracefully, sometimes not.

In talking with Harman, I learned that the relationship between free radicals and antioxidants was really one of balance. Now “retired” and professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Harman spends at least five full days each week in his office and regularly publishes articles in medical journals. He has a lot of energy for a man about to turn 80.

Harman’s scientific papers are a joy to read, and he can explain complex processes clearly to non-scientists. His early papers on free radicals and antioxidants have an almost religious or metaphysical quality. Harman was, after all, discussing life and death, though on molecular and cellular levels. He also pointed out that free radical chemical reactions likely led to the first life on Earth and, subsequently, to the evolution of species by prompting DNA mutations. Pretty heady stuff.

In one of our phone conversations, I asked Harman which supplements he took. Unlike a lot of doctors who don’t want to go on record revealing this information, Harman was forthright: 400 IU. vitamin E, 2,000 mg. vitamin C, 100 mcg. selenium, and 30 mg. coenzyme Q10 each day and 25,000 IU of beta-carotene every other day.
“I’d take more,” he said, “but I can’t afford to be fatigued.”

My ears perked up. “Fatigued?” I asked.

Harman explained that excessive antioxidants could cause fatigue and muscle weakness. Several years ago, in an experiment, Harman and his colleagues found that large amounts of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a synthetic antioxidant, interfered with the ability of mice to produce energy. Although the amount was of BHT was equivalent to 7.5 pounds in a human adult, Harman feels that people can still overdo antioxidants.

“Too many antioxidants can leave you feeling very weak,” Harman said. “BHT decreases ATP and mitochondria function.” ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is essential for energy production in the mitochondria, the part of the cell biologists describe as the “energy factory.”

I asked Harman whether too many natural antioxidants could also cause fatigue. I was thinking about the 1,600 IU of vitamin E and 100,000 IU of beta-carotene I had been taking for at least 10 years.

Harman was unequivocal. Yes. Just as some experiments have shown that vitamin E supplements increase stamina, there’s a point of diminishing returns. And I had inadvertently hit that point.

Over the years I had upped my vitamin E and beta-carotene intake a little at a time. Like other people, I don’t relish the though of cancer and I want to do everything reasonably possible to protect myself. Antioxidants provide some of that protection. I also knew that our bodies become less efficient metabolically as we age and that our need for micronutrients increases with age.

But after weighing what Harman told me, I decided to reduce my vitamin E supplements from 1,600 IU to 800 IU daily and my mix of beta- and alpha-carotene to 50,000 IU. Within a day or two, my energy levels were up-way up-an almost anti-climactic ending to my story. I still don’t like getting up in the morning, but I do get up without feeling fatigued. Nor do I need a nap in the afternoon or early evening.

Now that I’ve sacrileged the shrine of antioxidants, the inevitable questions arise. First, should you take antioxidants? Unquestionably, yes. How much vitamin E and other antioxidants should you take? There’s no simple answer. The traditional, and low, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are in a state of flux and will probably be revised upward. Last year, the nonprofit Alliance for Aging Research, based in Washington, D.C., recommended that generally healthy people take antioxidant supplements in the following daily ranges:

vitamin E, 100-400 IU,

vitamin C, 200-1,000 mg., and

beta-carotene, 17,500-50,000 IU.

To decide how much of these antioxidants you should take, weigh the free radical stresses you face. Do you live in a large, polluted city? Do you smoke or live with a smoker? Do you live at a high altitude or spend a lot of time in the sun? Do you eat refined foods with polunsaturated fats (from which the vitamin E has been removed)? The more of these questions you say “yes” to, the higher your antioxidant intake should probably be.

Ultimately, of course, you have to listen to your body and determine the dose you feel better at, or worse, and adjust it accordingly. By all means, take more if you feel better-or if a physician suggests that you do so. However, if you’re really studious about your diet, eat organic foods, are relatively young, and in good health, you may not need a lot of supplemental antioxidants. One more point to consider: Harman contends that the downward slide begins at age 27, meaning this is when you really need to start protecting yourself against the growing free radical cascade in your body.

The key, as I learned from Harman, is to take enough antioxidants to slow the aging process and stave off degenerative diseases, but not so much that you’re fatigued. To a certain extent, you have to trust that what you’re doing is right because the consequences of not taking antioxidants may take years to appear. It’s sort of like brushing your teeth; you do it because you don’t want to face the consequences of not brushing.

There are other important lessons here, and they relate to how antioxidants have become the 20th century’s embodiment of the age-old fountain of youth. From time to time, I think of a conversation I had with Hal Huggins, D.D.S., a nutritionally oriented dentist in Colorado Springs, Colo. In the early 1980s, after working with him on a magazine article, I asked him to comment on a blood analysis obtained by my regular doctor. Based on my cholesterol level, the computerized analysis stated that I had a 6 percent risk of dying from heart disease over the next few years. Huggins looked at the risk assessment and though for a moment. “You know, Jack, there’s no way you’re going to get out of this life alive,” he said. “Odds are that you’ll eventually die of heart disease or cancer. But you’re going to die of something.”

Some of the ads for antioxidants may leave you thinking that you’ll manage to get out of this life alive. Antioxidants can help you live longer and healthier-Harman, Ames, and many other scientists are convinced of this. But antioxidants won’t grant you immortality. And very high intake of antioxidants, apparently, can sometimes sap enough energy to prevent you from enjoying those extra years.

In my mid 40s, I now have more energy than I’ve had in years. Striking a balance between free radicals and antioxidants has made good sense for my health. It has also helped me recognize my fundamental mortality. It’s an important lesson, and I’ll remember it."

All the best to you,
Jack Challem
The Nutrition Reporter™

The information provided by Jack Challem and The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter is strictly educational and not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, consult your physician.

500 mg. of curcumin (concentrate)
100 mg. of resveratrol
60 mg. of tocotrienols (high absorption)

For me, this means only three capsules per day (though the bottles may recommend twice as much).