Astaxanthin: The Power of Pink
Have you ever come across the word astaxanthin and wondered what it actually is? Astaxanthin is a natural substance that some experts recommend as the most powerful antioxidant around. It is questionable whether this is actually the most powerful antioxidant. What is certain is that it inhibits inflammation and is therefore of interest to all people affected by autoimmune diseases. Find out all you need to know.
What exactly is astaxanthin?
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid and therefore a natural dye (1). Carotenoids give plants and animals a reddish hue. They make carrots shine bright orange and color tomatoes red. Scientists have now found over 700 different carotenoids that can be divided into two groups: the xanthophylls and the carotenes. Lycopene from tomatoes and beta-carotene from carrots are carotenes. Lutein and zeaxanthin from green leafy vegetables belong to the xanthophylls, just like astaxanthin.
Salmon colored astaxanthin
Astaxanthin impresses with its beautiful orange-pink color. This substance is responsible for the hue of salmon, cooked lobster and other shellfish, as well as flamingos. The microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the most abundant sources of food, along with krill oil (2). Although algae are usually green, some are rich in this red dye. The reason: They need protection if their living conditions suddenly deteriorate.
This is the case with Haematococcus pluvialis, for example. This small alga lives in pools and water holes with fresh water. If it multiplies there, it can discolor the water as red as blood. That is why it is popularly known as blood rain algae.
Useful chemical structure
Chemically speaking, Astaxanthin has a long chain structure with polar end groups, more precisely hydroxyl and keto units at both ends (3). This enables this molecule to coat the cell membranes in the human body. Free astaxanthin reacts very quickly with oxygen, which is why it is naturally esterified with fatty acids, as in algae. It can also combine with proteins, for example in the exoskeleton of crustaceans. A Swedish study from 2003 shows that ingesting fat together increases the bioavailability of astaxanthin (4). Bioavailability describes the extent to which the body can absorb and utilize a substance.
How does astaxanthin work?
What does astaxanthin do in the body? This question can be answered briefly or at length. It is now scientifically proven that astaxanthin can relieve oxidative stress, protect against UV rays and inhibit inflammation (5). The anti-inflammatory effect of astaxanthin, which has been proven in several studies, is of particular interest to people with autoimmune diseases. All autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, lupus erythematosus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are associated with chronic inflammation.
Astaxanthin relieves discomfort
A Chinese study from 2010 shows that astaxanthin accumulates in the body and leads to a decrease in the CRP value after several weeks (6). The CRP value shows how badly the body is suffering from inflammation. An Indian study states that astaxanthin can inhibit numerous substances that promote inflammation in the body, for example tumor necrosis factor alpha, prostaglandins and interleukins (7).
This study reports on a survey of 247 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases who took astaxanthin regularly. 90 percent of all respondents said that their symptoms had improved. The effectiveness of joint pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis is also proven by a study published in Hawaii in 2003 (8). Astaxanthin alleviated the symptoms in four out of five patients.
Protection of the cell membrane
Astaxanthin’s strong antioxidant effect is probably due to its chemical structure. It has been proven that this molecule completely covers the cell membrane and protects it from oxidative stress (9). Astaxanthin is effective on both sides of the membrane, not just on the inside like beta-carotene or vitamin E or on the outside like vitamin C. It is also noteworthy that astaxanthin can both accept and release electrons without being destroyed.
What is Oxidative Stress?
So-called free radicals cause oxidative stress in the body. As the name suggests, chemical reactions with oxygen are responsible for the formation of free radicals. They always arise more and more when you stress the mitochondrial respiratory chain. That means when your cells need a lot of energy. This can have a wide variety of causes. In addition to exercise, smoking and environmental toxins, diseases such as Crohn’s disease, psoriasis or celiac disease can cause large amounts of these aggressive radicals to form in the body.
Main reason for illness
Normally, a healthy body can destroy free radicals without any problems. But if, as in chronic diseases, many of these substances are constantly being formed, the body suffers from oxidative stress. It can be seen as the main cause of diseases of all kinds. The reason: Oxidative stress causes all metabolic processes to get out of balance.
Free radicals
Free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron. They tear this missing electron out wherever they can find it — usually from the nearest healthy cell. This in turn is missing an electron: a healthy cell becomes a free radical with a missing electron that it would like to replace. This leads to chain reactions in the body that cause many health problems and can trigger aging.
Astaxanthin, on the other hand, acts like a protective layer for the cell membrane that surrounds the cell. It can accept and release electrons and is not destroyed by it. Amazingly, astaxanthin works throughout the body, including the brain, as it can cross the blood-brain barrier (10). This is why this antioxidant also protects neurons from damage and thus prevents diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia (11).
What else does astaxanthin do in the body?
Astaxanthin has numerous other beneficial effects on the body. A study from 2018 shows that astaxanthin improves glucose metabolism and lowers blood sugar levels (12). This is important for the prevention of type 1 diabetes. In addition, according to a Japanese study with mice, astaxanthin can protect the kidneys and thus counteract diabetic nephropathy (13).
It has also been proven that astaxanthin can have beneficial effects on cancer (14). In addition, this antioxidant supports the liver in detoxification (15).
Astaxanthin also has beneficial effects on the eyes as many eye diseases are the result of oxidative stress and inflammation, including (16):
• Age-related macular degeneration
• glaucoma (glaucoma)
• cataracts (cataracts)
Astaxanthin can also be beneficial for cardiovascular diseases as it can improve blood flow (17). Astaxanthin also has a positive effect on sperm production (18).
Do you constantly notice new wrinkles? Try rejuvenating your skin with astaxanthin. Japanese scientists report in a study published in 2012 that astaxanthin improves crow’s feet, plumps up the skin and improves elasticity (19).
Another Japanese study confirmed in 2017 that astaxanthin actually protects the skin from the signs of aging (20). Athletes also benefit from astaxanthin (21). It reduces oxidative stress and improves muscle performance and endurance in athletes (22).
Natural sun protection is another function of this antioxidant (23). According to a study with 21 participants in Hawaii, a two-week intake of 4 milligrams a day was enough to delay the onset of sunburn.
When does astaxanthin work?
Most studies give participants natural astaxanthin for several weeks. How fast does astaxanthin work? The answer to this question depends on the state of health and the dose taken. The first positive effects usually set in after two weeks, because astaxanthin has to accumulate in the body. Over time, the antioxidant protection increases.
There is currently still some uncertainty about the dosage level. Some experts point out that up to 50 milligrams a day can be easily tolerated. Others claim that you can safely consume up to 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily. The Internet portal Toxnet of the US National Library of Medicine considers a dose of 0.05 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day to be harmless (24). According to this, a 70 kilogram adult could take 3.5 milligrams of astaxanthin a day. In clinical studies, the daily dose usually varies between 2 and 20 milligrams. Most manufacturers recommend taking 4 to 8 milligrams a day.
Important: You should definitely talk to your doctor before taking astaxanthin. Astaxanthin can make certain drugs less effective, such as immunosuppressants.
Astaxanthin: When to take?
The body absorbs astaxanthin best together with fat. It is therefore advisable to take astaxanthin before or during meals. The concentration in the blood is highest after around seven hours after consumption. The half-life is 21 hours (25). This means that after an average of 21 hours, the body has broken down half of the active substance in the plasma. Oxidative stress like smoking accelerates the breakdown.
How long can you take astaxanthin?
There are still no studies on this subject. Dangerous side effects are not yet known, so nothing stands in the way of long-term use. However, it is advisable to keep an eye on the results of new studies on astaxanthin with long-term use.
Which is better — OPC or Astaxanthin?
There is no clear answer to this question. OPC is the abbreviation for oligomeric proanthocyanidins, a group of powerful antioxidant compounds found in grape seed extract. Like Astaxanthin, OCP effectively combats antioxidant stress on both sides of the cell membrane, inside and out.
While OPC is considered a natural blood thinner, astaxanthin is particularly impressive because of its anti-inflammatory effect. OPC can prevent cardiovascular diseases because it promotes the formation of collagen and thus improves the elasticity of blood vessels. Both substances can cross the blood-brain barrier and thus develop their beneficial effects throughout the body.
For patients with autoimmune diseases, the scales may tip a little in favor of astaxanthin because it is so effective at reducing inflammation. Some experts recommend combining both active ingredients, as their properties complement each other. For example, you can take OCP one day and astaxanthin the next day. In any case, you should discuss this with your doctor.
Natural versus synthetic astaxanthin
A good source of natural astaxanthin is wild salmon. It contains four times as much astaxanthin as farmed salmon. The content can be up to 58 milligrams per kilogram. Farmed salmon, on the other hand, contains synthetic astaxanthin, as otherwise its flesh would have a grayish sheen. Synthetic astaxanthin is added to the feed. It is created in a complicated process from crude oil with the help of a genetically modified yeast. It is used as a coloring agent in numerous foods, including for coloring the egg yolk in chickens.
Food supplements usually contain natural astaxanthin from the alga Haematococcus pluvialis. The individual preparations differ greatly in terms of their active ingredient content. You should therefore always look at the individual ingredients. For vegetarians, it is advisable to choose capsules without animal gelatine.
Is the effect of astaxanthin just media hype?
After numerous portals on the Internet had praised the antioxidant astaxanthin for its universal effect via the green clover, negative articles increased in 2018. Among other things, the German consumer advice center said that the effect of astaxanthin has not been proven (26). The consumer advice center relied on publications by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) from 2009 and 2011.
In fact, scientists around the world have been studying astaxanthin extensively in recent years. Nevertheless, EFSA remains skeptical about astaxanthin (27). In a report in 2014, the EFSA only described a daily dose of 0.034 milligrams per kilogram of body weight as safe.
The references in this article are mostly from the years after 2011; many studies were written in the years after 2014. Therefore, the negative reports about astaxanthin do not seem justified. As is so often the case, the English proverb also applies here: “The proof is in the pudding.” That means: trying is more important than studying — but as a precaution in consultation with your doctor.
Sources:
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