9 Evidence Based Benefits of Astaxanthin

Taking certain supplements can be a great way to improve one’s health. They can enhance a healthy diet and help your body fight off different diseases and health imbalances. One of the most versatile supplements you’ll come across is astaxanthin. Growing in popularity for its long list of benefits, rooting from its powerful antioxidant properties, this is a supplement going mainstream.

Here are 9 scientifically backed benefits of supplementing astaxanthin.

1. Supports Joint Health

The human joints are subject to movement and stress, thousands of times each day. Through years of repetition or injury, they are a common source of daily pain, with arthritis affecting nearly 1 in 5 people. At the source of most joint pain is inflammation and cell damage.

Studies show astaxanthin can reduce inflammation with its incredible antioxidant profile, resulting in not only pain reduction but helping to settle the joint and improve mobility.¹ In animal studies, astaxanthin has also shown to reduce the degradation of cartilage, the joints natural shock absorber. ²

2. Potential to Fight Against Cancer

One of the most exciting benefits of astaxanthin is its potential ability to help fight cancer. Due to its antioxidant properties, a lot of research has gone into seeing how it reacts with various cancers.

A review on astaxanthin and cancer showed anti-tumor efficacy in various cancer models. ³ Research has shown that it can reduce the growth of breast cancer cells.⁴ Astaxanthin may also reduce your risk of getting skin cancer due to its protective properties against UV rays and skin burning. ⁵

3. Support the Immune System

The health of our immune system is an extremely important factor for our overall health. Astaxanthin has been shown to support the immune system in a variety of ways. It has been shown to enhance immune responses and decrease DNA damage.⁶

One study showed it improved immune signaling and improved how the immune system reacted to inflammation, concluding that astaxanthin has potential value as a therapeutic or preventive agent for management of immune diseases.⁷

4. Supports Heart Health

Astaxanthin can improve heart health by helping to normalize blood pressure and improve cholesterol profiles. Studies have shown Astaxanthin can improve blood flow and circulation⁸ reduce the oxidation of fatty acids in humans ⁹ and improve cardiac function and attenuates fibrosis. ¹⁰

An astaxanthin review concluded that many studies have shown astaxanthin can exert preventive actions against atherosclerosis, or the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, via its potential to improve inflammation, lipid metabolism and glucose metabolism. Rat studies have shown astaxanthin to reduce high blood pressure and improve the elastin levels and arterial wall thicknesses. ¹¹

5. Support Brain Health

Most brain diseases are a result of oxidation and inflammation damaging brain cells over a long period of time. Astaxanthin can help improve your brain health, which is key to fighting off degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. One study concluded that astaxanthin improves your cognitive functions in older people. ¹² It also reduces the stress and inflammation caused by these diseases.

Another review outlined the research suggesting neuroprotective properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant effects, as well as the potential to promote and maintain neural plasticity. These results are showing some serious promising for further study into astaxanthin as a therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disease. ¹³

6. Supports Eye Health

Our eyes are subject to constant oxidative damage by UV light, resulting in them having some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants in the body. The oxidative stress in our eyes can cause cell damage, which is where anti-oxidants like astaxanthin have a proven role in helping to support eye health.

Epidemiological studies have shown diets high in carotenoids such as astaxanthin are associated with a reduced risk of age related macular degeneration and cataracts. No other carotenoid has worked as well as astaxanthin in terms of protecting the retina.

7. Helps Keep Skin Young

Astaxanthin can keep you looking young by increasing the elasticity of your skin and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It also helps moisturize the skin, keeping it healthy and young-looking.

You can apply creams that contain astaxanthin to your face to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.  A 2012 study showed that combining topical and oral doses of astaxanthin can help to smooth wrinkles, make age spots smaller, and help maintain skin moisture. ¹⁴

8. Improves Exercise

Astaxanthin can improve your workout by preventing muscle fatigue and increasing your endurance. It can also protect your joints, allowing you to work harder for longer with less risk of injury, as well as getting back into it each day as opposed to needing longer for recovery. An astaxanthin review concluded, based upon in vitro and in vivo research conducted in mice exercise models, evidence would suggest that astaxanthin supplementation could potentially improve indices of exercise metabolism, performance, and recovery because of its potent antioxidant capacity. ¹⁵

A study in elderly people found astaxanthin to improve endurance, walking speed, muscle strength and improved general mobility. ¹⁶ Studies on mice have shown Astaxanthin to improve the body’s use of fatty acid, helping endurance and preventing muscle and skeletal damage. ^17 18

9. Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation is often the cause of pain and at the center of most injuries and diseases. While short lived inflammation as a signal to our body to repair an injury is completely normal and healthy, it is chronic inflammation which people need to be worried about. A wide variety of diseases are a result of chronic inflammation. If you regularly feel bloated, stressed, tired and overall unhealthy, then chances are high that you have inflammation somewhere in your body which shouldn’t be there. Astaxanthin can help fight inflammation by reducing oxidative stress and improving your immune response. ¹⁹

Astaxanthin may still be a little-known supplement but it packs a big punch. It is an extremely powerful antioxidant that can aid in optimizing your health, making you feel good so you can live life to the fullest. For more information on the scienefic evidence behind Astaxanthin, check out our medical summary page here.