15 Surprising Health Benefits of Vitamin E

5. Some types are more protective than others

Vitamin E doesn't refer to a single compound; it refers to a family of 8 compounds. This family consists of four tocotrienols and four tocopherols. When different compounds share the same formula but differ in how their atoms are arranged, these compounds are then called "isomers." The four tocotrienol Isomers are alpha, beta, gamma, and delta and the four tocopherols are alpha, beta, gamma, delta tocopherol. Studies have shown that the isomers alpha-tocotrienol and gamma-tocotrienol are the most efficient in protecting the immune system.