Astaxanthin

Please note the following referenced scientific research is for informational use only. The results reported below may not necessarily occur in all our customers. The information should not replace advice from your health care practitioner. This information should not be read to recommend or endorse any specific product.

Astaxanthin is a potent natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that acts to reduce free radicals formed in the body, supports collagen formation and elasticity for healthy skin and helps to maintain endurance and performance when exercising. This potent naturally occurring carotenoid is found in nature in the organisms that eat it, giving salmon, trout and shrimp their reddish colour. Extensive research supports the therapeutic benefits of Astaxanthin due to its unique structure and antioxidant properties shown to support skin and eye health as well as athletic performance.

Skin Health

  • Astaxanthin may exert benefits on skin homeostasis including photoprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (Davinelli et al. 2018). 

  • Astaxanthin helps to reduce oxidative damage of the skin via increased antioxidant activity and may protect against collagen and elastin degradation in the dermal layer of the skin (Davinelli et al. 2018). 

  • Research suggests Astaxanthin may inhibit age-related skin deterioration and improve skin integrity and elasticity (Tominaga et al. 2017).

  • Astaxanthin may improve dermatitis (skin itching and irritation) via the regulation of inflammatory effects and the expression of inflammatory cytokines (Yoshihisa et al. 2016).

Eye Health

  • Studies suggest Astaxanthin may directly address the main pathogenic factors underlying ocular diseases such as cumulative oxidative stress and chronic subclinical inflammation (Giannaccare et al. 2020). 

  • A growing body of evidence suggests the beneficial pleiotropic effects of astaxanthin in the prevention of ocular disease (Giannaccare et al. 2020).

  • Astaxanthin’s antioxidant effects help to promote and protect the health of the eyes, specifically those that have been attributed to cellular oxidative damage (Mark & Tim-Tak, 1994). 

  • Clinical trials have investigated the effects of astaxanthin in the prevention and treatment of eye diseases as well as maintaining healthy eye function. The benefits range from reducing eye strain to having a potential role in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration as it has the ability to cross the blood-retinal brain barrier and accumulate in the retina (Mark & Tim-Tak, 1994).

  • Astaxanthin has shown to improve pupillary constriction, improve symptoms of blurred vision and eye strain (Kajita et al. 2009).

Fitness, Performance & Cognition

  • Research suggests that astaxanthin supplementation could potentially improve indices of exercise metabolism, performance and recovery because of its potent antioxidant capacity (Brown et al. 2017). 

  • Research indicates the effectiveness of astaxanthin on the promotion of skeletal muscle performance and prevention of muscle atrophy and the potential mechanisms underlying these effects (Wong et al. 2020). 

  • Results from current research are beginning to suggest neuroprotective properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects as well as the potential to maintain neural plasticity and cognitive function in age and neurodegeneration (Grimmig et al. 2017).

References

  • Giannaccare, G., Pellegrini, M., Senni, C., Bernabei, F., Scorcia, V., & Cicero, A. 2020. “Clinical Applications of Astaxanthin in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases: Emerging Insights”. Marine drugs, 18(5): 239. https://doi.org/10.3390/md18050239

  • Mark, TSO., Tim-Tak, LAM. 1994. “Method of retarding and ameliorating central nervous system and eye damage”. United States Patent. https://europepmc.org/article/PAT/US5527533 

  • Kajita, M., Tsukahara, H., Kato, M., 2009. “The effects of a dietary supplement containing astaxanthin on the accommodation function of the eye in middle-aged and older people”. Med Consult New Remedies, 46(3):89-93. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4997915/ 

  • Davinelli, S., Nielsen, M. E., & Scapagnini, G. 2018. “Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review”. Nutrients, 10(4): 522. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040522 

  • Tominaga, K., Hongo, N., Fujishita, M., Takahashi, Y., & Adachi, Y. 2017. “Protective effects of astaxanthin on skin deterioration”. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 61(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.17-35

  • Yoshihisa, Y., Andoh, T., Matsunaga, K., Rehman, M. U., Maoka, T., & Shimizu, T. 2016. “Efficacy of Astaxanthin for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model”. PloS one, 11(3), e0152288. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152288

  • Brown, D. R., Gough, L. A., Deb, S. K., Sparks, S. A., & McNaughton, L. R. 2018. “Astaxanthin in Exercise Metabolism, Performance and Recovery: A Review”. Frontiers in nutrition, 4, 76. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2017.00076 

  • Wong, S. K., Ima-Nirwana, S., Chin, K.Y. 2020. “Effects of astaxanthin on the protection of muscle health (Review)”. Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 20(4), 2941–2952. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.9075 

  • Grimmig, B., Kim, S. H., Nash, K., Bickford, P. C., & Douglas Shytle, R. 2017. “Neuroprotective mechanisms of astaxanthin: a potential therapeutic role in preserving cognitive function in age and neurodegeneration”. GeroScience, 39(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-017-9958-x