With most vitamins, the body can't tell the difference between natural and synthetic. Vitamin E is the exception, since there are chemical differences. But this isn't necessarily true. Recent studies have shown that natural E is not only better absorbed, but also better retained in the body than the synthetic form. Four of these are tocopherols, named alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.
Alpha tocopherol is by far the main type of E in the body.
Synthetic capsules are dl-alpha tocopherol. Most studies showing potential health benefits from E have used the synthetic form, which is cheapest and most widely available. Taking vitamin E to heart During the past two years, research has been accumulating about this vitamin E's potential benefits. What makes vitamin E so interesting is its special antioxidant properties. For instance, a study last year from Cambridge University, published in The Lancet, found that E pills reduced the risk of heart attack by one-third.