d VERSUS dl: NATURAL VERSUS SYNTHETIC

Unlike many vitamins whose synthetic form is "nature identical", synthetic vitamin E is not the same as natural vitamin E and has lower biological activity. Here’s why: Biochemically speaking, vitamin E can be either right or left "handed". This is indicated with the letters d and l. The form that exists in our food and the form that our bodies need is the d form: d-alpha tocopherol. The l form does not work in our bodies.
When vitamin E is made synthetically, a mixture of d and 1 forms is automatically produced and cannot be separated. This is called dl-alpha tocopherol and, although much less expensive than the natural d-alpha tocopherol, is not as biologically active. In fact, recent scientific studies have indicated that synthetic vitamin E does not stay in the body nearly as long as natural vitamin E, making it a much less effective protector. So be sure you take only natural "d" vitamin E supplements.

ACETATES & SUCCINATES

Vitamin E in its "raw" state (d-alpha tocopherol) is in oil form. In order to put it into tablets and hard gelatin capsules, it can be made into a dry form or "esterified". This simply means that a natural "carrier", acetate or succinate, is added onto the vitamin E. When the nutrient is ingested, the carrier is removed and it goes back to d-alpha tocopherol in your body.

These esterified forms of vitamin E are written as d-alpha tocopherol acetate or d-alpha tocopheryl succinate. Another advantage of esterified vitamin E is the following: except when protected by a soft gel capsule, vitamin E can very easily lose potency. Acetate and succinate protect the vitamin E from potency loss until it gets into your system where it is then converted back into d-alpha tocopherol.

Remember, esterified vitamin E is still natural as long as you see the "d" in front of the name versus "dl". It is d versus dl that determines whether it is natural or synthetic, not the carrier.