There is a growing interest in this strange supplement. People are trying to figure out what are all those astaxanthin benefits that everyone’s talking about, or maybe it’s just us.
Anyway, in this article, we’ll go over what it offers and show you how astaxanthin can improve your overall health.
What Is Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is obtained naturally from freshwater algae named Pluvialis Haematococcus. Its reddish pigment gives color to many sea living creatures, such as shrimps, lobsters, salmons, and trouts.
It has been recognized to be the most powerful antioxidant in nature. And it is very effective in protecting the human body’s cells and membranes against oxidative stress.
It increases the body’s immunity, reduces wrinkles, promotes elastic and smooth skin, eases fatigue, supports cardiovascular health, eye health, and protects the central nervous system and brain.
Astaxanthin Benefits
Immunity
Let’s start with our first line of defense against the many diseases lurking out there, our immunity.
A chemical reaction named oxidation regularly takes place in our metabolic system. It “pollutes” our bodies, leaving behind unstable molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals are highly unstable and often pair with healthy cells, causing them to deteriorate faster, or even causing a mutation. These mutations are associated with cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and many others.
Antioxidants counteract this by protecting healthy cells against free radicals. And unlike other antioxidants, astaxanthin never becomes pro-oxidant (inducing oxidative stress) and has the strongest effect of all.
It is 65 times more effective than vitamin C, 54 times more effective than beta-carotene, and 14 times more effective than vitamin E.
Skin Health
As we age, the skin loses its elasticity, leading to sagging and wrinkles. Astaxanthin helps maintain skin moisture, smooth wrinkles, promote elasticity, and reduce collagen degradation. It does so by strengthening and protecting all the cells involved.
The skin’s aging process is also often hurried by outside factors, mainly UV rays. UV rays interact with the skin’s amino acid called Melanin, which is also responsible for our skin color and tan. Once the UV rays exceed the protection of the Melanin, they start inflicting damage.
Astaxanthin strengthens Melanin, making your protection against UV rays more fortified.
Physical Endurance
Astaxanthin is a very effective cure for all types of tendon and muscle aches, joint pain, and even arthritis. That is because our muscles produce lactic acids to cope with the stress put on them during exercise. These acids then cause painful and sore muscles.
Astaxanthin prevents these acids from inducing fatigue and pain by lowering their levels, thus increasing muscle endurance and even preventing muscle atrophy that comes with aging.
Cardiovascular System
Astaxanthin is beneficial even for our cardiovascular system. Studies have shown that it protects against atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by fat and cholesterol accumulation in the arteries. The accumulation leads to a blood flow restriction and possibly blood clots.
In addition, astaxanthin improves overall blood flow and helps lower blood pressure. However, it’s important to remember that you should also have a balanced diet and daily workout routine to take care of your cardiovascular system. Then add astaxanthin either through a supplement or in your diet.
Eye Health
Eye problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts are common diseases that come with aging. They can cause various symptoms, such as blurred vision, cloudy areas, sensitivity to light, and even permanent vision loss.
Several studies have shown that astaxanthin can improve eye health and help maintain visual acuity. It has a unique ability to reach the retina and collaborate with other antioxidants, protecting the cells against various dangers.
Brain Health
According to researchers, the human brain is prone to oxidative stress, especially as we age. Oxidative stress kills brain cells and is responsible for various neurodegenerative diseases. With the protection of such a powerful antioxidant, the brain will have a better defense against this inevitable oxidative stress.
A study was done in Japan with elderly volunteers having age-related memory issues. It had shown that astaxanthin is effective in restoring neurons and protecting them.
Astaxanthin is therefore useful in treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease or reducing the sequelae caused by a stroke and generally offers protection to the brain.
Astaxanthin Foods
If you’d like to try astaxanthin, you don’t have to buy a supplement. Instead, add the following foods to your diet.
- Salmon
- Trout
- Krill
- Shrimp
- Crayfish
Conclusion
As you’ve seen, astaxanthin benefits the body in a variety of ways. If your goals include more physical endurance, slowing down aging and protecting the skin, better function of the cardiovascular, and improving brain and eye health, astaxanthin is definitely a great choice.
As always, please make sure to consult with your doctor beforehand.
If you’re looking for more natural ways to improve your body’s overall health, check out our article about spirulina benefits.