Tre-en-en: what it is and what it actually does

Last reviewed 16 October 2026Next review April 20273 sources

Tre-en-en is the product NeoLife was founded on in 1958, and it is also the one people most often ask “but what does it actually do?” about. This guide answers that honestly: what Tre-en-en is, the genuinely interesting idea behind it, what can and cannot be claimed for it under GB law, and who it is — and isn’t — for.

What Tre-en-en is

Tre-en-en (“grain concentrates”) is a concentrated source of the natural oils found in whole grains — the lipids and sterols that sit in the germ and bran — drawn from a blend of rice bran, soybean and wheat germ oils. Those oils carry the two essential fatty acids: linoleic acid (an omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3). It is a small oil capsule, taken one to three a day.

The idea behind it

This is the part worth understanding, because it is the whole rationale for the product. Whole grains naturally contain oils concentrated in the germ and bran. Modern milling removes most of that oily fraction — that is precisely why refined flour and white rice keep for months rather than going rancid. The trade-off is that the grain lipids and sterols are largely milled out of the refined grain foods most of us eat. Tre-en-en is built to put a concentrated form of those grain oils back into the diet.

That is the concept NeoLife has sold since 1958, and it is a reasonable one to explain. What we will not do is dress the concept up as a proven health outcome — because that is a separate question, and the law is clear about it.

What can and cannot be claimed

Two things here. First, the grain lipids and sterols themselves carry no authorised GB health claim — so no one may tell you Tre-en-en does something specific for your cells, energy or absorption, however the concept is framed.

Second: the claims that exist for linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid need far higher daily amounts than Tre-en-en provides, so they do not apply and we make none.

Who takes it, and how it fits

Tre-en-en is the ingredient that anchors NeoLife’s Pro Vitality+ and Formula IV Plus packs; here it is sold on its own for people who specifically want the grain-oil component, or who already know the product and want to top it up. If you eat mostly refined grains and want to add back a concentrated source of whole-grain oils, that is the honest reason to consider it — not a promised effect.

Allergens and suitability

Important: Tre-en-en contains wheat, soya and gelatine. That means it is not suitable for vegetarians (gelatine capsule), not for anyone with a soya allergy, and because it contains wheat it is not appropriate for anyone with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy — check with your GP if that applies to you. Always read the current pack, as formulations can change.

Food first

The food-first version of the same idea is simply to eat more whole grains — wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice, oats, and foods like wheatgerm — rather than their refined versions, which keeps the natural grain oils in your diet. A supplement is for people who want a concentrated, consistent amount on top of that.

The NeoLife option

NeoLife Tre-en-en provides whole-grain lipids and sterols from rice bran, soybean and wheat germ oils, supplying the essential fatty acids linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). It is 120 capsules, one to three a day (from about 44p a day), and it is the same Tre-en-en that forms part of Pro Vitality+ and Formula IV Plus. It contains wheat, soy and gelatine. It sits at the premium end at £53.00.

Products in this guide

Pro Vitality+£59.50 Subscribe & save 10%View productFormula IV Plus£44.00 Subscribe & save 10%View productTre-en-en£53.00 Subscribe & save 10%View product