Astaxanthin belongs to a class of naturally-occurring pigments called carotenoids. There are more than 700 naturally-occurring carotenoids, most people are probably only familiar with a few and the most common one is beta-carotene.
Astaxanthin is found in a specific type of microalgae and in the sea creatures that consume it including salmon and krill. Indeed it is found in very high amounts in the muscles of salmon and is the carotenoid that gives salmon its pink-red color. It is said to be responsible for the endurance salmon need to swim upstream during the spawning season - salmon can in fact jump four times their length in order to ascend water falls. Interestingly, it is the higher astaxanthin content that gives wild caught salmon a brighter red colour than the farmed variety.
Overall, natural astaxanthin is an outstanding antioxidant - this is supported by around 25 years of scientific research into supplementation with astaxanthin. This research includes laboratory tests, blood tests and animal models, as well as more recent human trials, with results of which demonstrating that astaxanthin's unique structure helps it to deliver health benefits in a number of key areas.
Astaxanthin already has a dedicated following among long distance runners and triathletes
Research has shown a correlation between strenuous exercise and the overproduction of both free radicals and oxidative stress. This can reduce antioxidant system efficiency and damage muscles, which can delay workout recovery time. Research has found that astaxanthin may support muscle function and endurance, and could help athletes to combat the impact of stress on their performance by reducing the free radicals produced by exercise.
In fact astaxanthin as a supplement now has a fairly dedicated following among long distance runners and triathletes as well as many athletes, especially endurance athletes.
The properties of this remarkable antioxidant that make it beneficial to salmon swimming upstream are also beneficial to humans looking to accomplish feats of endurance. This is because:
It may reduce free radicals to speed recovery time.
It reduces production and storage of lactic acid - this reduces muscle soreness and recovery time.
It helps mitochondria function - when you strenuously exercise your muscles the mitochondria produce more energy but this has the side effect of producing free radicals. These free radicals can damage your cell membranes - the more strenuous the workout, the more free radicals you produce. The bottom line being that you can end up with tired and sore muscles.
As a powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin has been shown to effectively scavenge free radicals from muscle tissue and support more efficient mitochondria function thereby potentially giving your strength, stamina, and endurance a healthful boost.
