Astaxanthin (β-Carotene-4,4'-dione, Trans-Astaxanthin), a xanthophyll carotenoid, is a nutrient with unique cell membrane actions and diverse clinical benefits with excellent safety and tolerability. Astaxanthin, a red dietary carotenoid isolated from Haematococcus pluvialis, is a modulator of PPARγ and a potent antioxidant with antiproliferative, neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activity.
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid nutrient with molecular properties that precisely position it within cell membranes and circulating lipoproteins, thereby imbuing them with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Astaxanthin also effectively protects the double membrane system of mitochondria, to the point of boosting their energy production efficiency. In cultured cells, astaxanthin protects the mitochondria against endogenous oxygen radicals, conserves their redox (antioxidant) capacity, and enhances their energy production efficiency. Astaxanthin has also protected human LDL against oxidative attack. Astaxanthin specifically protects the mitochondria of cultured nerve cells against toxic attack and stimulates the proliferation of cultured nerve stem cells. It effectively protects cultured nerve cells against hydrogen peroxide toxicity, and down-regulates genes linked to cell death and up-regulates genes linked to cell survival[1].
In pharmacokinetic studies, after ingestion of esterified natural astaxanthin, only unesterified astaxanthin appears in the blood. Astaxanthin's bioavailability is substantially affected by meal timing and by smoking. Supplementation with astaxanthin may lower lipid peroxidation in vivo. Astaxanthin significantly improves the memory performance of mice in the Morris water maze. It has demonstrated safety in numerous human clinical trials. The doses of astaxanthin used in clinical trials have ranged from 1 mg/day to 40 mg/day (with the majority in the 6-12 mg range); single-dose pharmacokinetic studies use up to 100 mg per dose[1].
[1] Kidd P, et al. Altern Med Rev. 2011, 16(4):355-64. [2] Contreras-Ortiz JME, et al. Parasite. 2017, 24:17.