Why Annatto Is Different
More than a natural source of color
Annatto comes from Bixa orellana, a tropical plant native to the Americas. Its bright red-orange seeds have a long history of use as a natural color in foods, cosmetics and traditional preparations.
Annatto seeds also contain naturally occurring compounds that have attracted scientific attention, including tocotrienols and geranylgeraniol.
Annatto’s tocotrienol profile
Tocotrienols occur in several botanical sources, but those sources do not contain identical combinations.
Palm-derived preparations commonly contain a combination of tocopherols and multiple tocotrienol forms. Rice bran contains tocotrienols alongside other naturally occurring compounds.
Annatto is distinctive because its tocotrienol fraction is naturally concentrated in the delta and gamma forms, with little to no tocopherol content in properly purified annatto-tocotrienol ingredients.
That focused composition has made annatto useful for research examining delta- and gamma-tocotrienol specifically.
Why does the source matter?
The botanical source can influence:
Which tocotrienol forms are present
The proportion of each form
Whether tocopherols are also present
How the ingredient must be extracted and purified
The composition of the finished supplement
Source alone does not determine quality. Two products derived from the same plant can differ in purity, concentration, manufacturing and testing.
A supplement should therefore identify both the ingredient and its botanical source.
Annatto and geranylgeraniol
Annatto is also a natural source of geranylgeraniol, commonly abbreviated as GGOH or GG.
Geranylgeraniol is not a form of vitamin E. It belongs to a separate group of compounds called isoprenoids and participates in different biological pathways.
The fact that annatto contains both tocotrienols and geranylgeraniol does not mean the compounds perform the same functions. Each should be understood and evaluated independently.
Can annatto tocotrienols be absorbed?
Human pharmacokinetic studies have detected increased blood concentrations of tocotrienols following oral consumption of annatto-derived preparations.
Researchers have observed that absorption can be influenced by the amount consumed, formulation and whether the tocotrienols are taken with food.
Because tocotrienols are fat-soluble, consumers should follow the directions provided for their particular supplement.
From plant to finished ingredient
Producing a standardized annatto extract involves more than collecting seeds. The desired compounds must be separated, purified, measured and protected from degradation.
Important quality considerations include:
Accurate identification
Consistent concentration
Appropriate contaminant testing
Stability
Transparent labeling
Responsible manufacturing
The word “natural” should never substitute for meaningful quality standards.
Our approach
Our products use annatto-derived ingredients, with one formula providing delta- and gamma-tocotrienol and another providing geranylgeraniol. They are kept clearly identified so consumers can understand what each product contains.
[EXPLORE ANTIOXIDANT CELL SUPPORT]
This page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.