Alpha-tocopherol synthetic (Tocopherol, Alpha-tocopherol synthetic, vitamin E, E307) is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage by slowing the oxidation of lipids (fats) and the formation of free radicals.
Alpha-tocopherol is traditionally recognized as the greatest biological antioxidant in the human body. The measurement of vitamin E activity in international units (IU) was based on an increase in fertility due to the prevention of spontaneous miscarriages in pregnant rats when taking alpha-tocopherol. It increases naturally by about 150 % of the norm in the mother’s body during pregnancy in women.
1 IU of vitamin E is defined as the biological equivalent of 0.667 milligrams of RRR-alpha-tocopherol (formerly called d-alpha-tocopherol or 1 milligram of all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (commercially named dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, the original d, l-synthetic molecular compound, appropriately named 2-ambo-alpha-tocopherol, is no longer manufactured).