Astaxanthin

Additional information

Astaxanthin, fat-soluble carotenoids

Occurrence in food
Natural astaxanthin is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants and chemically belongs to the group of carotenoids, more precisely to the xanthophylls (1). Industrially, astaxanthin is mainly extracted from the green algae Haematococcus pluvialis, which reacts to stress caused by lack of food or water, high salt content in the water, lack of nitrogen, strong sunlight or extreme heat or cold by forming the characteristic red natural pigment astaxanthin. Astaxanthin enters animals and humans through the food chain and is responsible, for example, for the reddish coloration of crustaceans, lobsters and salmon (2). Although its ability to eliminate free radicals is several times stronger than that of vitamin C, vitamin E and synthetic astaxanthin, astaxanthin is considered a “mild” antioxidant (3)(4).

Physiological functions
Antioxidant : Important role as a so-called radical scavenger. Antioxidants “defuse” free radicals by either acting as electron donors or breaking down the radical molecule.
Support of the oxidative balance
Eye: Protection against age-related eye damage and general changes in visual behavior (e.g. presbyopia or computer vision syndrome (CVS)).
Skin: wrinkle reduction
Increase skin elasticity and hydration
Protection against UV-induced skin damage
Protection against lipid peroxidation
Cardiovascular system: Potentially supportive in the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.
Sports: Nutritive supplementation in performance-oriented mass sports

Increased demand:
Low intake of vegetables, malabsorption (e.g., due to chronic inflammatory bowel disease, cholangitis, cirrhosis, and pancreatic insufficiency).

The antioxidant powerhouse astaxanthin – general and metabolism
The “superantioxidant” astaxanthin (C40H52O4) is structurally similar to beta-carotene (C40H56). However, while beta-carotene has only 11 double bonds, astaxanthin has 13 conjugated double bonds. These and the two oxo groups (double bonded oxygen to carbon atom) give astaxanthin its antioxidant effect. Comparative studies have shown that astaxanthin has a much stronger antioxidant effect than other compounds. For example, astaxanthin is 6000 times stronger than vitamin C, 770 times stronger than coenzyme Q10, 100 times stronger than vitamin E, 55 times stronger than synthetic astaxanthin, 5 times stronger than beta-carotene, 3 times stronger than lutein, 2 times stronger than lycopene. In terms of its antioxidant activity, astaxanthin has other benefits as well. Its chemical structure enables it to scavenge a wide variety of free radicals. At the same time, astaxanthin is considered a “gentle” antioxidant because, compared to other antioxidants, the molecule does not itself become a highly reactive compound after absorbing a free radical (3)(4). Astaxanthin is considered safe and has been certified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status (5). After ingestion in the form of supplements or carotenoid-rich foods, astaxanthin enters intestinal cells with dietary lipids by passive diffusion. Similar to other carotenoids, astaxanthin is transported in chylomicrons and into the blood via the lymph. This is then also how transport to the respective target tissue takes place (6). The bioavailability of astaxanthin depends on numerous factors. Thus, combination with dietary fats increases bioavailability by 2.4-fold, so simultaneous intake with a meal should be considered (7). In addition, combining astaxanthin with dietary fats in supplements increases its bioavailability 2- to 4-fold (8). Another advantage is the extraction of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis. Because this form of astaxanthin is esterified, it is more stable and better absorbed in the body. Unesterified astaxanthin can oxidize particularly easily (9)(10)(11). The topic of bioavailability is concluded by the factor of tobacco consumption. Smoking increases astaxanthin degradation and can greatly reduce bioavailability (12).

Anti-aging and Healthy Aging with Astaxanthin
The human aging process is associated with mitochondrial damage, increased oxidative stress production, and less active cellular protective systems. This background is considered to be one of the main causes for the development of various diseases in old age. Characteristic age-related side effects are damage to the skin, increased oxidation of blood lipids or retinal damage. Astaxanthin can successfully counteract these aging processes. Preservation of a young skin appearance: As a barrier, the human skin is permanently exposed to a wide variety of environmental influences: UV radiation, environmental toxins and various mechanical and chemical influences. It is therefore obvious that the skin is particularly exposed to reactive oxygen species. The barrier function of the skin is additionally reduced by the progressive aging process, as the naturally thinning skin reacts particularly sensitively to UV radiation. The direct consequences are increased pigmentation, reduced elasticity and premature aging of the skin. However, the antioxidant astaxanthin can also be relied upon in this indication area. This is not only able to counteract hyperpigmentation and wrinkling, but also increases skin elasticity and moisture. It can also reduce UV-induced skin damage. Overall, astaxanthin therefore supports the maintenance of a young skin appearance – even in old age. Of particular note are two studies from Japan in which astaxanthin intervention reduced wrinkles around the eye area and the size of age spots in the cheek area, improved skin texture, and increased skin hydration and elasticity (14). A study published in June 2018 on astaxanthin UV protection investigated whether supplementation with 4 mg astaxanthin/day increased the minimum erythema dose (MED) of the skin. The minimum erythema dose (also erythema threshold dose) is a measure of the human skin’s tolerance to solar radiation and indicates the amount of UV radiation the skin can tolerate before initial redness occurs. After completion of astaxanthin intake, MED was significantly increased; this effect did not occur in the placebo group. At the same time, the UV-irradiated skin areas of the subjects in the astaxanthin group showed less moisture loss. Subjective perceptions of improvement in rough skin and overall skin texture were also significantly more positive in the intervention group (15).

References:
Micronutrient Coach® – The great BIOGENA compendium of nutrients. 4th ed. Verlagshaus der Ärzte, Editors: Dr. Christina Schmidbauer and Georg Hofstätter MSc.