Astaxanthin - Antioxidant

The use of antioxidant-rich supplements, among other things to improve or maintain cognitive function, has become a topic of interest in recent years. Astaxanthin is one with great potential that is the subject of several studies.

What is astaxanthin?

It is the pigment responsible for the orange color of salmon and seafood. It is a xanthophyll carotenoid that is extracted from an algae ( Haematococcus pluvialis ) for supplements. It is believed to have powerful antioxidant capabilities.

Astaxanthin is used as a nutritional supplement, antioxidant and anticancer agent, prevents diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders, and also stimulates immunity. The effects of astaxanthin on human nutrition have been published by various authors. An astaxanthin supplement of 3.6 mg per day may be beneficial for health, as reported by Iwamoto et al. ¹

Some studies on different effects

Anti-inflammatory effects

According to a study conducted to determine the effects of astaxanthin supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients whose pathogenesis is associated with chronic oxidative stress and inflammation. It was found that astaxanthin showed a protective effect on high glucose-induced oxidative stress and therefore would have a significant anti-inflammatory impact. ²

Effects on mental fatigue

Also, another study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with astaxanthin and sesamin (AS), powerful antioxidants of dietary origin, on fatigue; since severe fatigue can negatively affect quality of life and oxidative stress may play a role in its mechanism.

Secondary outcomes included other subjective feelings, work efficiency, autonomic nervous activity, levels of a marker of oxidative stress, and safety. Part of the group was to take the supplement and another part a placebo. SA supplementation was associated with significantly improved recovery from mental fatigue compared to placebo. In conclusion, SA supplementation could promote recovery from mental fatigue, which is experienced by many healthy people. ³

Effects on cognitive functions

Another study, this time, was conducted to evaluate the effects over a period of 6 and 12 weeks of taking a supplement containing astaxanthin and sesamin in a group of healthy people but suffering from mild cognitive impairment. The results supported that daily use helped improve cognitive functions. ⁴

Effects on the skin

The algae's ability to protect itself from the effects of intense ultraviolet radiation may help prevent sunburn. Astaxanthin may prevent skin thickening and reduce collagen depletion against UV-induced skin damage. ^{5, 6, 7}

Doses as low as 2 mg per day help improve skin barrier integrity (aid, among other things, better hydration) and elasticity to counteract sun damage. ⁸ However, it takes a few weeks for pigments to accumulate in the tissues. At 6 mg per day for 8 weeks, there is an improvement in crow's feet (small lines near the eyes), wrinkles, elasticity, and transdermal water loss. ⁹

Similarly, by taking 2 to 4 mg of astaxanthin daily for a few weeks before an X-ray or scan, some degree of protection against exposure to these radiations can be gained. ¹⁰

Astaxanthin has great potential in the global nutraceutical market. This review article provides an overview of the cytoprotective mechanisms of astaxanthin. Due to its involvement in various biological activities, astaxanthin is a promising compound in the field of dermatology. ¹¹

References:

1.Iwamoto T., Hosoda K., Hirano R., Kurata H., Matsumoto A., Miki W., Kamiyama M., Itakura H., Yamamoto S., Kondo K., Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation by astaxanthin. J. Atheroscler. Thromb. 2000; 7:216–222. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11521685/

2.Nafiseh Shokri-Mashhadi, Maryam Tahmasebi, Javad Mohammadi-Asl, Mehrnoosh Zakerkish, Majid Mohammadshahi. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of astaxanthin supplementation on the expression of miR-146a and miR-126 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 May;75(5): e14022. doi:10.1111/ijcp.14022. Epub 2021 Feb 2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33445213/

3.Ayano Imai, Yuriko Oda, Naoki Ito, Shinobu Seki, Kiyotaka Nakagawa, Teruo Miyazawa, Fumitaka Ueda. Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Astaxanthin and Sesamin on Daily Fatigue: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Way Crossover Study. Nutrients. 2018 Feb 28;10(3):281. doi:10.3390/nu10030281. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29495607/

4.Naoki Ito, Hitomi Saito, Shinobu Seki, Fumitaka Ueda, Takashi Asada. Effects of Composite Supplement Containing Astaxanthin and Sesamin on Cognitive Functions in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled. J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;62(4):1767-1775. doi:10.3233/JAD-170969. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29614679/

5. Ranga Rao A., Sindhuja HN, Dharmesh SM, Sankar KU, Sarada R., Ravishankar GA. Effective inhibition of skin cancer, tyrosinase, and antioxidative properties by astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters from the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis. J. Agric. Food chemistry. 2013; 61:3842-3851. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23473626/

6.Hama S., Takahashi K., Inai Y., Shiota K., Sakamoto R., Yamada A., Tsuchiya H., Kanamura K., Yamashita E., Kogure K. Protective effects of topical application of a poorly soluble antioxidant astaxanthin liposomal formulation on ultraviolet-induced skin damage. J.Pharm. Sci. 2012; 101:2909–2916. doi:10.1002/jps.23216. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22628205/

7. Santos SD, Cahú TB, Firmino GO, de Castro CC, Carvalho LBJ, Bezerra RS, Filho JL Shrimp waste extract and astaxanthin: rat alveolar macrophage, oxidative stress and inflammation, J. Food Sci. 2012; 77:141–146. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22757706/

8. Yoon HS, Cho HH, Cho S, et al. Supplementation with dietary astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate improves facial elasticity and decreases matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -12 expression: a comparative study with placebo. J Med Food. 2014 Jul;17(7):810-6. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2013.3060. PubMed PMID: 24955642. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24955642

9.Tominaga K, Hongo N, Karato M, Yamashita E. Cosmetic benefits of astaxanthin on humans' subjects, Acta Biochim Pol. 2012;59(1):43-7. PubMed PMID: 22428137. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22428137

10.John E. Dore, Ph.D. Astaxanthin and Cancer Chemoprevention, Cyanotech Corporation, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA. https://www.cyanotech.com/pdfs/bioastin/batl08.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22428137

11. Davinelli S, Nielsen ME, Scapagnini G. Astaxanthin in Skin Health, Repair, and Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2018 Apr 22;10(4):522. doi:10.3390/nu10040522. PMID: 29690549; PMCID: PMC5946307.