There has been quite a buzz lately in the health field about astaxanthin… and for good reason! The health benefits of astaxanthin have been verified by numerous scientific studies and corroborated by thousands of testimonials.
What is Astaxanthin?
Astaxanthin is a member of the carotenoid family, which are compounds that provide vibrant colors to various foods such as the pink in salmon. Beta-carotene is the carotenoid that most people are familiar with, however, astaxanthin has been shown to have several important actions that beta-carotene cannot accomplish.
It is most prevalent in aquatic plants such as plankton and algae but is also found in sea animals such as salmon, lobster, shrimp, and crab, which eat algae and plankton.
Benefits of Astaxanthin
The book Natural Astaxanthin: King of the Carotenoids details many of the important benefits of this important supplement. Below is a small list of these benefits. For more information I encourage you to read that book.
1. Antioxidant Properties
- Astaxanthin has proven to be one of the most powerful antioxidants yet studied. It’s antioxidant power is particularly important because it can cross the blood-brain barrier and blood-retinal barrier, thereby providing antioxidant support to the brain and eyes.
- Studies have revealed that it is 64.9 times stronger of an antioxidant than vitamin C, 53.7 times stronger than beta-carotene, 14.3 times stronger than vitamin E, and 20.9 times stronger than the synthetic form of astaxanthin (go natural!).
2. Anti-inflammatory Properties
- As mentioned above, since it can penetrate into the brain and eyes, it has the unique ability to reduce inflammation in those areas. Inflammation has been shown to be a major underlying cause in many degenerative diseases.
- Clinical studies with humans and natural astaxanthin supplement have proven it as very effective for most people in reducing inflammation throughout the body.
3. Other Benefits
- According to WebMD.com, astaxanthin has also proven helpful in conditions such as high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, macular degeneration, and has even been shown to help protect against sunburn.
Dosage
4 mg a day is a frequently recommended dose, however, some are taking up to 12 mg. Take note… if you take too much (beyond 12 mg per day), parts of your skin can actually turn pinkish red! When taken as a supplement, astaxanthin comes as capsules that can be easily swallowed.
I have been taking 4mg of natural astaxanthin a day and have seen noticeable improvements in my health. I am feeling more energized and notice a definite reduction in eye fatigue. Since it has also been shown to improve muscle recovery and because I also exercise regularly, I feel confident that my overall fitness will improve as well.
If you are interested in learning more about what is astaxanthin, then I highly recommend the book Natural Astaxanthin: King of the Carotenoids. You can also find great information on Dr. Mercola’s website.
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