Home Ingredients EVSpectra™ (Red Palm Oil Concentrate — ExcelVite)
Antioxidant

EVSpectra™ (Red Palm Oil Concentrate — ExcelVite)

Elaeis guineensis
Evidence Level
Preliminary
0 Clinical Trials
3 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

EVSpectra™ is a red palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) concentrate from ExcelVite, rich in carotenoids (mostly alpha- and beta-carotene, which are provitamin A), tocotrienols, and tocopherols. ExcelVite describes it as about 100 times more concentrated than red palm oil, with one softgel carrying the carotene and vitamin E of roughly two tablespoons (28 to 30 g) of the oil. No published human study has used this concentrate. Everything known about it comes from red palm oil eaten as a cooking fat, or from separate palm carotene and tocotrienol extracts. In adults who were not vitamin A deficient, those studies raised blood carotenoid levels but did not change blood retinol, blood lipids, or vascular function.

Studied Dose No trial has used EVSpectra, so there is no studied dose for this material. ExcelVite says one softgel matches the carotene and vitamin E of two tablespoons (28 to 30 g) of red palm oil, which at published red palm oil composition works out to roughly 21 to 25 mg of tocotrienols plus tocopherols. The carotenoid figure is less certain: ExcelVite states a 2 to 1 ratio of total vitamin E to total carotenoids in the concentrate, which would put the carotenoids nearer 10 to 13 mg, while calculating straight from red palm oil's own carotenoid content gives 17 to 22 mg, and ExcelVite publishes no assay to settle it. The human studies behind this page used very different amounts and forms. Zhang 2003 fed red palm oil as about 60 percent of total dietary fat, roughly 45 g of cooking oil a day for six weeks. Stonehouse 2016 used separate isolated extracts at 21 mg per day of palm carotenes or 420 mg per day of tocotrienols plus 132 mg tocopherol. Catanzaro 2016 used 15 g a day of red palm oil against 300 mg of vitamin E. None of these is a capsule of red palm oil concentrate.
Active Compound Red palm oil concentrate. Red palm oil carries roughly 600 to 750 ppm total carotenoids, of which beta-carotene is about 41 percent and alpha-carotene about 41 percent, with lycopene near 1 percent and the rest split among phytoene, phytofluene and other minor carotenes. It carries roughly 717 to 863 ppm vitamin E, split about 41 percent gamma-tocotrienol, 29 percent alpha-tocotrienol, 10 percent delta-tocotrienol and 19 percent alpha-tocopherol. Lutein and zeaxanthin, the carotenoids that build up in the macula of the eye, are not components of red palm oil. ExcelVite states that EVSpectra holds total vitamin E and total carotenoids in a 2 to 1 ratio, but publishes no per-gram assay figures for the concentrate.

Benefits

Raises blood carotenoid levels

Red palm carotenoids are absorbed: in 20 Chinese men who ate red palm oil for six weeks, plasma alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene rose significantly. Plasma retinol did not change, so in adults who were not deficient the higher carotenoid levels did not shift vitamin A status. In vitamin A deficient children and adults in low-income countries, red palm oil does raise serum retinol, lower the rate of deficiency, and clear the ocular signs of deficiency, but that is correcting a shortfall, not an added benefit for someone already replete. No study of red palm oil in well nourished adults has measured vision, skin, or immune outcomes.

Vitamin E support

The concentrate carries the palm vitamin E family, mostly gamma- and alpha-tocotrienol. The only randomized trial of palm tocotrienols cited here gave 420 mg per day of a separate tocotrienol extract, not this concentrate, for eight weeks in 87 adults at raised cardiovascular risk. Blood tocotrienol levels rose, and flow-mediated dilation, lipids, glucose, insulin and inflammatory markers were all unchanged.

Limited-evidence note

Red palm oil's nutrient content is well characterized, but no clinical study of EVSpectra itself has been published. Everything on this page comes from research on red palm oil eaten as a food, or on separate palm carotene and tocotrienol extracts, and those two things are not the same as a concentrate softgel.

Mechanism of action

1

Carotenoid antioxidants

Red palm carotenoids quench free radicals and are converted to vitamin A as the body needs.

2

Tocotrienol vitamin E

Palm tocotrienols distribute into cell membranes and act as chain-breaking antioxidants there. That is laboratory chemistry: in the human trial cited here, eight weeks of palm tocotrienols raised blood tocotrienol levels without changing any measured marker of vascular function or cardiovascular risk.

Clinical trials

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated.
High carotenoid intake can give skin a harmless orange tint.
Smokers, former smokers and people exposed to asbestos should not take beta-carotene supplements. In the ATBC trial, 20 mg per day of beta-carotene in 29,133 male smokers raised lung cancer incidence by 18 percent (95% CI 3 to 36 percent) and total mortality by 8 percent (95% CI 1 to 16 percent). In CARET, 30 mg beta-carotene plus 25,000 IU retinyl palmitate in 18,314 smokers, former smokers and asbestos-exposed workers raised lung cancer risk 28 percent (relative risk 1.28, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.57) and the trial was stopped 21 months early. Beta-carotene makes up about 41 percent of red palm oil's carotenoids, so a softgel matching two tablespoons of the oil carries somewhere between 4 and 9 mg of it depending on which of ExcelVite's figures you use: below the 20 mg ATBC dose, but the same order of magnitude. No trial has tested a mixed palm carotene concentrate in smokers, so there is no evidence that the palm mixture is safer at a comparable beta-carotene dose. The Food and Nutrition Board advises against beta-carotene supplements for the general population, other than as a source of vitamin A for people whose intake is inadequate.

Important Drug interactions

No major drug interactions are established for this ingredient.
Tell your doctor about all supplements if you take prescription medication.
Provitamin A carotenoids are not preformed vitamin A. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level of 3,000 mcg per day applies to preformed vitamin A (retinol and retinyl esters) only, as does the birth-defect risk that makes high-dose vitamin A dangerous in pregnancy. The Food and Nutrition Board has set no Upper Limit for beta-carotene or the other provitamin A carotenoids, because the body regulates how much carotenoid it converts, and beta-carotene is not known to be teratogenic. The main effect of a very high carotenoid intake is carotenodermia, a harmless yellow-orange tint to the skin that reverses when you stop. Still tell your doctor about all supplements if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or managing a health condition.

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Frequently asked questions about EVSpectra™ (Red Palm Oil Concentrate — ExcelVite)

What is EVSpectra?

EVSpectra™ is a red palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) concentrate from ExcelVite, rich in carotenoids (mostly alpha- and beta-carotene, which are provitamin A), tocotrienols, and tocopherols.

What is EVSpectra used for?

EVSpectra is researched primarily for Antioxidant. Red palm carotenoids are absorbed: in 20 Chinese men who ate red palm oil for six weeks, plasma alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene rose significantly.

What is the recommended dosage of EVSpectra?

The clinically studied dose is No trial has used EVSpectra, so there is no studied dose for this material. ExcelVite says one softgel matches the carotene and vitamin E of two tablespoons (28 to 30 g) of red palm oil, which at published red palm oil composition works out to roughly 21 to 25… Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is EVSpectra safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, EVSpectra is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated. High carotenoid intake can give skin a harmless orange tint. It may also interact with some medications. EVSpectra is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does EVSpectra interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: No major drug interactions are established for this ingredient. Tell your doctor about all supplements if you take prescription medication. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for EVSpectra?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for EVSpectra as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 8 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(8 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Loganathan R, Subramaniam KM, Radhakrishnan AK, Choo YM, Teng KT Health-promoting effects of red palm oil: evidence from animal and human studies Nutrition Reviews. 2017;75(2):98-113. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuw054.PubMedUsed to support: Narrative review of red palm oil written by researchers at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and funded by Malaysian Palm Oil Board research grants, with three of the five authors employed by the board. It reports red palm oil's composition (about 600 to 750 ppm carotenoids, of which beta-carotene is 41.0 percent, alpha-carotene 41.3 percent and lycopene 1.0 percent, and 717 to 863 ppm vitamin E made up of about 41 percent gamma-tocotrienol, 29 percent alpha-tocotrienol, 10 percent delta-tocotrienol and 19 percent alpha-tocopherol) and surveys animal and human work, including trials in which red palm oil corrected vitamin A deficiency and its ocular signs in children and pregnant women in low-income countries. It is a review of other researchers' studies rather than a trial, and it does not examine EVSpectra or any branded concentrate.
  2. Zhang J, Wang CR, Xue AN, Ge KY Effects of red palm oil on serum lipids and plasma carotenoids level in Chinese male adults Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. 2003;16(4):348-54..PubMedUsed to support: Six-week controlled feeding study in 42 Chinese men aged 18 to 32: 20 ate a diet made with red palm oil and 22 with soybean oil, with the test oil supplying about 60 percent of total dietary fat. Plasma alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene rose significantly in the red palm oil group at both day 21 and day 42, and alpha-tocopherol rose by day 42. Plasma retinol did not change. Serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI and apolipoprotein B were all unchanged. The dose was tens of grams of cooking oil a day, not a concentrate softgel.
  3. Stonehouse W, Brinkworth GD, Thompson CH, Abeywardena MY Short term effects of palm-tocotrienol and palm-carotenes on vascular function and cardiovascular disease risk: A randomised controlled trial Atherosclerosis. 2016;254:205-214. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2016.10.027.PubMedUsed to support: Eight-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial run at CSIRO in Adelaide, Australia, in 90 adults with type 2 diabetes, impaired fasting glucose or raised waist circumference, 87 of whom were analysed. One arm took 21 mg per day of a palm carotene concentrate, one took 420 mg per day tocotrienols plus 132 mg tocopherol, and one took palm olein placebo. Plasma alpha- and beta-carotene rose in the carotene arm and alpha, delta and gamma tocotrienol rose in the tocotrienol arm, confirming absorption. The primary outcome, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, did not differ from placebo (p = 0.71 for the carotene arm, p = 0.80 for the tocotrienol arm), and no other measure of vascular function, lipids, glucose, insulin or inflammation changed either. The authors conclude that the supplements had no effects, superior or detrimental, on vascular function or cardiovascular disease risk factors.
  4. Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers New England Journal of Medicine. 1994;330(15):1029-35. doi:10.1056/NEJM199404143301501.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 29,133 male smokers aged 50 to 69 in Finland, followed five to eight years. Men assigned 20 mg per day of beta-carotene had an 18 percent higher lung cancer incidence (95% CI 3 to 36 percent) and 8 percent higher total mortality (95% CI 1 to 16 percent) than those who did not receive it, driven by lung cancer and ischaemic heart disease deaths. This is the basis for telling smokers not to take beta-carotene supplements.
  5. Omenn GS, Goodman GE, Thornquist MD, Balmes J, Cullen MR, Glass A, Keogh JP, Meyskens FL, Valanis B, Williams JH, Barnhart S, Hammar S Effects of a combination of beta carotene and vitamin A on lung cancer and cardiovascular disease New England Journal of Medicine. 1996;334(18):1150-5. doi:10.1056/NEJM199605023341802.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (the Beta Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial) in 18,314 smokers, former smokers and asbestos-exposed workers. The group taking 30 mg per day beta-carotene plus 25,000 IU retinyl palmitate had a relative risk of lung cancer of 1.28 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.57, p = 0.02) and a relative risk of death from any cause of 1.17 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.33) compared with placebo. The trial was stopped 21 months early because of the harm signal.
  6. Sivan YS, Jayakumar YA, Arumughan C, Sundaresan A, Balachandran C, Job J, Deepa SS, Shihina SL, Damodaran M, Soman CR, Raman Kutty V, Sankara Sarma P Impact of beta-carotene supplementation through red palm Journal of Tropical Pediatrics. 2001;47(2):67-72. doi:10.1093/tropej/47.2.67.PubMedUsed to support: Ten-month feeding trial of a red palm oil noon meal in 409 preschool children in rural Tamil Nadu, India, against 346 control children. Bitot's spots, an ocular sign of vitamin A deficiency, cleared in 50 percent of the supplemented children versus 28 percent of controls, new cases were less frequent (2.13 versus 4.78), and serum beta-carotene rose over the ten months. This is the reversal of a deficiency sign in undernourished preschool children in a low-income setting, not an eye benefit in well-nourished adults, and the children ate red palm oil as a cooking fat in a school meal.
  7. Catanzaro R, Zerbinati N, Solimene U, Marcellino M, Mohania D, Italia A, Ayala A, Marotta F Beneficial effect of refined red palm oil on lipid peroxidation and monocyte tissue factor in HCV-related liver disease: a randomized controlled study Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases International. 2016;15(2):165-72. doi:10.1016/s1499-3872(16)60072-3.PubMedUsed to support: Eight-week randomized study in 60 adults (34 men, 26 women, mean age 62) with hepatitis C related cirrhosis, comparing 15 g a day of oral red palm oil against 300 mg of vitamin E. Both arms significantly lowered erythrocyte malondialdehyde and urinary isoprostane output, two markers of lipid oxidation, and only red palm oil lowered macrophage colony stimulating factor and monocyte tissue factor. There was no placebo group, only an active comparator, so the fall in oxidation markers cannot be separated from the passage of time or from taking part in a study, and the participants had chronic liver disease rather than being healthy adults.
  8. Dong S, Xia H, Wang F, Sun G The Effect of Red Palm Oil on Vitamin A Deficiency: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Nutrients. 2017;9(12):1281. doi:10.3390/nu9121281.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis pooling nine randomized controlled trials of red palm oil in populations at risk of vitamin A deficiency. Red palm oil lowered the risk of vitamin A deficiency (relative risk 0.55, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.82, p = 0.003) and raised serum retinol in both children and adults, with no further gain above about 8 g of red palm oil per day. It had no significant effect on serum alpha-carotene, body weight or haemoglobin. The trials were run in vitamin A deficient populations, largely children in low-income countries, so the finding describes correcting a deficiency rather than a benefit in someone whose vitamin A status is already adequate.