Astaxanthin is a red pigment that gives salmon, shrimp and flamingos their pink color. Its chemical structure is similar to beta-carotene (found in carrots) and vitamin A. Astaxanthin is part of the carotenoid group. Astaxanthin is produced by several species of algae and plankton. Some aquatic species, including crustaceans including shrimp, eat these algae and plankton and then store the pigment in their shells, giving them their pink appearance. These shellfish, in turn, are eaten by fish (salmon, trout) and birds (flamingos, ibises), and store the pigment in their skin and fatty tissue. This is why salmon and some other animals appear red. The astaxanthin is not bleached, so these animals retain their red color.
Physiological effects
As the most efficient pure natural antioxidant, astaxanthin's main function is to scavenge free radicals and improve the body's anti-aging ability.
In the human body, free radicals are generated when oxygen combines with complex metabolic molecules. Free radicals are extremely unstable molecules that can readily combine with anything they can react with. When they react, "oxidation" occurs. Once the oxidation process begins, it causes a chain reaction to generate more free radicals.
If free radicals are allowed to grow freely, our bodies will look like oxidized apples. Oxidation occurs and is damaged by free radicals both inside and outside the body. Outside the body, they can cause aging of our skin - wrinkles, dry skin - and even skin cancer. As we age, free radicals can damage the strength and elasticity of our muscles.
Extremely strong penetrating power
Natural astaxanthin can penetrate the three major human barriers of blood-brain barrier, blood-pancreas barrier, and blood-testis barrier, and is the only carotenoid that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, it is the only carotenoid that may act on brain cells and eye retina.
Transmembrane stability
The biological cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer. Natural astaxanthin can cross the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane to prevent phospholipid molecules from being damaged by oxidation, thus ensuring the stability of the cell membrane and significantly extending the life of the cell.
Super absorbency
Because the molecular weight of astaxanthin is small at 596.8, even with the ester groups at both ends, it is less than 1,000 daltons. It is easily absorbed by the human body and can quickly reach various organs of the human body.
A large number of studies have shown that astaxanthin has certain functional improvement effects on various systems of the human body. For example, it has a very good therapeutic effect on diseases of the human nervous system and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems; it can delay and prevent skin aging; it can reduce oxidative damage to joints, improve muscle tolerance, and quickly recover from exercise fatigue; it can effectively inhibit tumors. , has a direct inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells, etc.
Eye and central nervous system protection
Astaxanthin can pass through the blood-brain barrier, effectively preventing retinal oxidation and damage to photoreceptor cells, indicating that astaxanthin has a good effect in preventing and treating "age-related macular degeneration" and improving retinal function; astaxanthin has protective The ability of the central nervous system, especially the brain and spine, can effectively treat central nervous system injuries such as ischemic repetitive perfusion injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's syndrome, Alzheimer's syndrome, etc.
Protection against UV radiation
The strong antioxidant activity of astaxanthin can be used as a potential photoprotectant to prevent photoaging of the skin. Astaxanthin can effectively remove free radicals that cause skin aging caused by computer radiation, environmental pollution, and smoking, delay skin aging, protect cell membranes and mitochondrial membranes from oxidative damage, thereby preventing cells from being harmed by oxidative reactions.
suppress tumors
Astaxanthin can significantly inhibit the initial carcinogenesis induced by chemicals, and has anti-proliferative effects and strengthen immune function on epithelial cells exposed to carcinogens, such as inhibiting the growth of bladder cancer, oral cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer and breast cancer. . Astaxanthin can also reduce the carcinogenicity of aflatoxin and has a good effect on reducing the number and volume of liver tumor cells induced by aflatoxin.
Anti-inflammatory properties: Astaxanthin's powerful antioxidant properties can help inhibit free radicals and reduce oxidative damage to joints.
Relieve exercise fatigue
Astaxanthin can also increase muscle strength and muscle tolerance, quickly recover from exercise fatigue, and reduce delayed onset muscle pain (DOMs) after strenuous exercise.
Prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Astaxanthin has the effect of significantly increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and reducing LDL in the body. Astaxanthin can reduce the oxidation of apolipoproteins and can be used as a preparation to prevent arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease and ischemic brain damage.
