eye, Astaxanthin

The Effects of Astaxanthin – Eye Health by CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES The Effects of Astaxanthin - Eye Health   Astaxanthin for Eye Health   The advances of information technology, software and electronics have led to the widespread use of screen based equipment or Visual Display Terminals (VDT) for both work and leisure. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, about 90 percent of children and adolescents in developed countries, ages 5 to 17, use computers at school or at home. About 50 percent of 9-year-olds use the Internet and at least 75 percent by ages 15 to 17. This phenomenon often lead to asthenopia or eye fatigue. The symptoms include sensitivity to glare, headaches, sore eyes and blurred vision. A recent study conducted by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in USA found that over 90 percent of habitual users of VDT reported eyestrain and other visual problems associated with computer use. The American Optometric Association supported this in a survey reporting that between 50 and 75 percent of all VDT workers report eye problems. In another study conducted in Sweden, 23 percent of schoolchildren, aged 6-15 suffered from asthenopia-related symptoms (Anshel, 2009). Asthenopia prompted a large number of occupational safety studies. For example, epidemiological studies over the last decade revealed significant factors that contribute to eye fatigue. These studies, sometimes involving up to 6,000 sufferers identified the following causes: insufficient lighting, poor ergonomics and uncorrected vision. Despite the new information, follow-up studies later showed that the implemented improvements were only effective in 50% of sufferers. The possible explanations for this observation could be that other factors remained undiscovered, poor implementation of improvements, or visual work had become even more visually demanding. It is likely to be a combination of these factors so that current solutions are insufficient to reduce asthenopia.    Standardized questionnaires that assessed subjective eye fatigue symptoms are in most cases mild, but symptoms get progressively worse if the causes are not rectified. Furthermore, certain ophthalmological tests can also detect eye problems, for example accommodation amplitudes, rate of accommodative reaction (positive and negative directions), critical flicker fusion (CFF) and pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP). So far, 10 Japanese clinical studies conducted by 9 independent ophthalmological establishments were able to conclude the efficacy of astaxanthin to alleviate visual asthenopia by observed improvements in the accommodation function and recovery of the ciliary body (Figure 1); retinal blood flow and inflammation markers. Figure 1. Location of the ciliary body in the human eye    Astaxanthin Reduces Eye Fatigue Asthenopia (eye fatigue) occurs on a daily cycle, in that the visual performance generally decreases naturally from morning until night. This problem exacerbates with a daily VDT load that lasts between 4 to 7 hours by affecting the accommodation performance of the ciliary body, which controls lens refraction. A couple of randomized double blind placebo controlled pilot studies demonstrated the positive effects of astaxanthin supplementation on visual function. For example, a study by Nagaki et al., (2002), demonstrated that subjects (n=13) who received 5 mg astaxanthin per day for one month showed a 54% reduction of eye fatigue complaints (Figure 2). In a sports vision study led by Sawaki et al., (2002), they demonstrated that depth perception and critical flicker fusion had improved by 46% and 5% respectively on a daily dose of 6 mg (n=9). The effect of astaxanthin on visual performance prompted a number of other clinical studies to evaluate the optimum dose and identify the mechanism of action. Figure 2. VDT Subjects with Eye Strain Symptoms before and after astaxanthin supplementation         Overall, the 6 mg group improved significantly better at week 2 and 4 of the test period. Furthermore, questionnaire results obtained by Shiratori et al., (2005) and Nagaki et al., (2006), also confirmed the previous findings that astaxanthin supplementation at 6 mg for 4 weeks improved symptoms associated with tiredness, soreness, dryness and blurry vision. Another study by Takahashi & Kajita (2005), also demonstrated that astaxanthin attenuates induced-eye fatigue, as opposed to treating eye fatigue, which suggests prevention rather than treatment. Astaxanthin treated groups (asthenopia negative) were able to recover quicker than the control group after heavy visual stimulus. Later, Iwasaki & Tawara (2006) also confirmed the same tendencies of subjective eye fatigue complaints in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled double-crossover study. In addition to questionnaires, direct measurement associated with asthenopia is also strong indicators for understanding astaxanthin efficacy. These include accommodation amplitude (Figure 3); rate of accommodation reaction (positive and negative directions); CFF (critical flicker fusion) and PVEP (pattern visual evoked potential). Based on the quantitative information, the accommodation related measurements consistently improved after the treatment period (Nagaki et al., 2002, 2006; Nakamuraet al., 2004; Takahashi & Kajita, 2005; Shiratori et al., 2005; Nitta et al., 2005; Iwasaki & Tawara, 2006) whereas the CFF and PVEP remained inconclusive (Sawaki et al., 2002; Nagaki et al., 2002; Nakamura et al., 2004). Therefore, the mechanism by which astaxanthin improved eye fatigue strongly indicates accommodation. Figure 3. Objective accommodation (Nitta et al., 2005)    Objective accommodation amplitude improves with 6mg astaxanthin. Delaying Progression of Presbyopia In a questionnaire survey study conducted by Kajita et al. (2009), 77 percent of 22 elderly males (age 46-65), after ingested 6 mg of astaxanthin daily for 4 weeks, felt better about the subjective symptoms related to presbyopia – a reduced ability to focus on near objects caused by loss of elasticity of the crystalline lens after age 45. In more detail, participants felt an improvement when seeing nearby objects and a decrease in blurred vision. This was followed by alleviation of eye strain and shoulder stiffness. In addition, the pupillary constriction ratio, used to assess the accommodative function of the eye, showed an overall improvement of 19 percent after supplementation of astaxanthin. Therefore, Kajita et al. (2009) concluded that astaxanthin may slow down the progression of presbyopia in middle-aged and elderly people. Mechanism of Action Accommodation Improvement   Accommodation measures the lens refractive property and it corresponds to the ciliary body function. This small ocular muscle controls the lens thickness in order to focus the light on the retina. In heavy visual workloads, the eye is focused on a fixed object distance for extended periods that will cause muscle spasms or develop fatigue detectable by accommodation tests. These tests are interrelated and include the following: accommodation amplitude; accommodation reaction (positive or negative) and high frequency component (HFC). Each clinical study used a combination of accommodation tests to indicate the amount of fatigue present. For example, increased accommodation amplitude in all treated subjects indicated improved reaction on near and far objects (Nagaki et al., 2002, 2006; Nakamura et al., 2004). Figure 4, Figure 5 and Table 1 reveal the higher rate of accommodation reactions measured in astaxanthin treated groups. These indicate the speed at which the ciliary body reacted to the direction change of focus (negative accommodation means from a near object at 35 centimeters to distant object at 5 meters or vice versa); (Nitta et al., 2005; Shiratoriet al., 2005; Nakamura et al., 2005; Iwasaki & Tawara, 2006). The effects of astaxanthin are significant from 2 weeks. Table 1. Improvement of negative accommodation time with astaxanthin (Iwasaki & Tawara, 2006)       Figure 4. Positive accommodation change (Shiratori et al., 2005)      Rate of positive accommodation improves with 6 mg astaxanthin Figure 5. Negative accommodation (Shiratori et al., 2005)      Rate of negative accommodation improves with 6 mg astaxanthin Another technique called HFC directly measured the microfluctuations in the lens during the accommodation response and typical values exist between 50 and 60 for normal eyes. Asthenopia sufferers (values greater than 60) experienced faster rates of recovery (Figure 6) in that their HFC results decrease towards normal values in less time compared to control groups (Takahashi & Kajita, 2005). Figure 6. Accommodative Recovery observing difference of HFC (Takahashi & Kajita, 2005)    Astaxanthin improves HFC accommodation recovery during rest periods after visual work. Increased Blood-flow Figure 7. Increase of retinal blood flow (Nagaki et al., 2005)    Retinal blood flow increases with astaxanthin after 4 weeks. Anti-inflammation Lastly, a top Japanese ophthalmology research collaboration between Hokkaido, Yokohama and Tokyo concluded anti-inflammatory properties of astaxanthin in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU or eye inflammation) both in vivo and in vitro models. In another study, Suzuki et al., (2006) confirmed the same effects while they carefully studied the anti-inflammatory effect of astaxanthin in the iris-ciliary body of rat eyes. This was also the first study to prove that astaxanthin suppressed NF-kB activation by free radicals in the EIU rat model (Figure 8). The result is a lower pro-inflammatory response that would otherwise perpetuate local sites of inflammation that may also help explain why astaxanthin worked to alleviate eye fatigue in numerous clinical trials. Figure 8. Number of NF-κB positive cells in eye ciliary body during inflammation (Suzuki et al., 2006)      Astaxanthin reduced the number of inflamed cells in the ciliary body. Outlook   Eye fatigue or asthenopia is a common problem that occurs with the regular use of VDTs and may be resolved with findings from many worldwide epidemiological studies. However, if current improvements tend to be only 50% successful and other factors are likely to be involved, therefore, based on the current clinical evidence, astaxanthin offers a complementary alternative by reducing inflammation, improving accommodation and increasing blood flow. References Anshel D. J. (2009). Healthy Eyes Better Vision, Summerlin Publishing Group, USA. Fukuda M, Takahashi J, Nishida Y, Sasaki H. (2008). Intraocular penetration of astaxanthin in rabbit eyes. Atarashii Ganka, 25(10):1461-1464. [In Japanese] Hashimoto H, Arai K, Takahashi J, Chikuda M, Obara Y. (2009). Effect of Astaxanthin Consumption on Superoxidize Scavenging Activity in Aqueous Humor. Atarashii Ganka, 26(2): 229-234. [In Japanese] Iwabayashi M, Fujioka N, Nomoto K, Miyazaki R, Takahashi H, Hibino S, Takahashi Y, Nishikawa K, Nishida M, Yonei Y. (2009) Efficacy and safety of eight-week treatment with astaxanthin in individuals screened for increased oxidative stress burden. J. Anti Aging Med. 6 (4):15-21. Iwasaki T, Tawara A. (2006). Effects of Astaxanthin on Eyestrain Induced by Accommodative Dysfunction. Atarashii Ganka, (6):829-834. [In Japanese] Kajita M, Tsukahara H, Kato M. (2009). The Effects of a Dietary Supplement Containing Astaxanthin on the Accommodation Function of the Eye in Middle-aged and Older People. Medical Consultation & New Remedies, 46(3). [In Japanese] Miyawaki H, Takahashi J, Tsukahara H, Takehara I. (2005). Effects of astaxanthin on human blood rheology. J. Clin. Thera. Med., 21(4):421-429. Nagaki Y, Hayasaka S, Yamada T, Hayasaka Y, Sanada M, Uonomi T. (2002). Effects of astaxanthin on accommodation, critical flicker fusions, and pattern evoked potential in visual display terminal workers. J. Trad. Med., 19(5):170-173. Nagaki Y, Mihara M, Tsukuhara H, Ohno S. (2006). The supplementation effect of astaxanthin on accommodation and asthenopia. J. Clin. Therap. Med., 22(1):41-54. Nagaki Y, Miharu M, Jiro T, Akitoshi K, Yoshiharu H, Yuri S, Hiroki T. (2005). The effects of astaxanthin on retinal capillary blood flow in normal volunteers. J. Clin. Therap. Med., 21(5):537-542. Nakamura A, Isobe R, Otaka Y, Abematsu Y, Nakata D, Honma C, Sakurai S, Shimada Y, Horiguchi M. (2004). Changes in Visual Function Following Peroral Astaxanthin. Japan J. Clin. Opthal., 58(6):1051-1054. Nitta T, Ohgami K, Shiratori K, Shinmei Y, Chin S, Yoshida K, Tsukuhara H, Ohno S. (2005). Effects of astaxanthin on accommodation and asthenopia – Dose finding study in healthy volunteers. J. Clin. Therap. Med., 21(6):637-650. Ohgami K, Shiratori K, Kotake S, Nishida T, Mizuki N, Yazawa K, Ohno S. (2003). Effects of astaxanthin on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Invest. Ophthal. Vis. Sci., 44(6):2694-2701. Sawaki K, Yoshigi H, Aoki K, Koikawa N, Azumane A, Kaneko K, Yamaguchi M. (2002) Sports performance benefits from taking natural astaxanthin characterized by visual activity and muscle fatigue improvements in humans. J. Clin. Ther. Med., 18(9):73-88. Shiratori K, Ohgami K, Nitta T, Shinmei Y, Chin S, Yoshida K, Tsukahara H, Takehara I, Ohno S. (2005). Effect of astaxanthin on accommodation and asthenopia – Efficacy identification study in healthy volunteers. J. Clin. Therap. Med., 21(5):543-556. Sussman M. (2001) Total Health At The Computer, Station Hill, New York. Suzuki Y, Ohgami K, Shiratori K, Jin XH, Ilieva I, Koyama Y, Yazawa K, Yoshida K, Kase S, Ohno S. (2006). Suppressive effects of astaxanthin against rat endotoxin-induced uveitis by inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway. Exp. Eye Res., 82:275-281. Takahashi N, Kajita M. (2005). Effects of astaxanthin on accommodative recovery. J. Clin. Therap. Med., 21(4):431-436.

Parkinson’s disease

The nutritional blends of CoQ10 enzymes which contain essential oils as well as the full spectrum of carotenoids
natural antioxidants found in red beta algae and organic blue green microalgae have been in studies of
Parkinson’s patients who were part of a blind study. This study showed that large quantities of CoQ10 reduced
the effects of Parkinson’s disease and helped the recovery of balance and reduction of tremors. By adding
additional supplements to the CoQ10, nutritional companies have boosted the effectiveness of the CoQ10.

Astaxanthin has been shown to actually cross the blood-brain and blood-retina barriers, meaning it can positively impact disorders related to brain and the central nervous system.http://ccres-aquaponics.blogspot.com/2012/09/astaxanthin-from-haematococcus-pluvialis.html

There is allot of other items i recommend for Parkinson’s patients and similar diseases like to open new pathways in the brain 

Using the scenes.. smell sight touch ect 

Bud Karas

Astaxanthin exhibits some of the most potent antioxidant activity currently known

Astaxanthin exhibits some of the most potent antioxidant activity currently known

If you've ever seen a pink flamingo or dined on wild Alaskan salmon, you've seen astaxanthin, found primarily in a type of marine algae, in action.
Haematococcus pluvialis
is believed to be by far the world's richest known source of astaxanthin, a unique natural carotenoid pigment and biological antioxidant. When compared with vitamin E, astaxanthin’s potency as an antioxidant ranges from approximately 80 to as much as 550 times greater

When flamingos and salmon eat astaxanthin (or the creatures that consume it, such as krill, algae or shellfish), it turns them pink. When you consume astaxanthin, you won't turn pink... but you do stand to benefit immensely.
Astaxanthin Improves Brain FunctionAstaxanthin is produced only by the microalgae Haematoccous pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. It's the algae's survival mechanism; astaxanthin serves as a "force field" to protect the algae from lack of nutrition and/or intense sunlight.

In humans, it also offers tremendous protection from a host of diseases, as evidenced by a growing body of experimental evidence. Most recently, researchers found that supplementing with astaxanthin-rich Haematococcus pluvialis extract lead to improvements in cognitive function in older individuals who complained of age-related forgetfulness.

This natural pigment, which is a cousin of beta-carotene (albeit a far more powerful one) has even been found to reduce the accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxidases (PLOOH) – compounds known to accumulate in the red blood cells of people who suffer from dementia – and scientists now believe astaxanthin could help prevent dementia, including Alzheimer's.

As a fat-soluble nutrient, astaxanthin readily crosses your blood-brain barrier. One study found it may help prevent neurodegeneration associated with oxidative stress, as well as make a potent natural "brain food." According to yet another article in the Alternative Medicine ReviewAstaxanthin improved cognition in a small clinical trial and boosted proliferation and differentiation of cultured nerve stem cells... Astaxanthin's clinical success extends beyond protection against oxidative stress and inflammation, to demonstrable promise for slowing age-related functional decline."
One of the Most Powerful Antioxidants KnownAstaxanthin exhibits some of the most potent antioxidant activity currently known. It is hundreds of times more effective than vitamin E in squelching singlet oxygen free radicals, and far exceeds the free-radical-scavenging power of vitamin C, CoQ10, beta-carotene and green tea.

According to Dr. Robert Corish, who has personally reviewed over 80 percent of the published journal articles about astaxanthin (and, as a result, is one of the most knowledgeable people on astaxanthin), the astaxanthin molecule is very different from other carotenoids in that it positions itself across the entire cell membrane – a portion of it attaches to the exterior of the cell, a portion to the interior, and another portion spans across the entire lipid layer."What this translates to is it offers protection on the outside of the cell from free radicals, the inside of the cell where there are free radicals being generated, and also this lipid fat layer where we always hear about lipid peroxidation... It's perfectly designed to protect all parts of the cell,"Dr. Corish explained. "...Astaxanthin is really very global when it comes to cellular protection."

Another major difference is in the number of free radicals it can handle at any given time. Most antioxidants, such as vitamin C, E and various others, can typically only handle one free radical at a time. But astaxanthin can handle multiple free radicals simultaneously – in some cases more than 19 at the same time, according to Dr. Corish. It does this by forming an electron cloud around the molecule. This is known as the electron dislocation resonance. When free radicals try to steal electrons from the astaxanthin molecule, they're simply absorbed into and neutralized by this electron cloud, all at once.As you might suspect, an antioxidant with this kind of power can have an extraordinary impact on health; more studies are being published all the time about this incredible nutrient. Here are just some of the ways astaxanthin can positively impact your health, according to the latest research:
Boosting your immune function

Improving endurance, workout performance and recoveryImproving cardiovascular health by reducing C-Reactive Proteins (CRP), reducing triglycerides, and increasing beneficial HDL 

Helping to stabilize blood sugar, thereby protecting your kidneys
GREATLY protecting your eyes from cataracts, macular degeneration, and blindness

Relieving indigestion and refluxProtecting your brain from dementia and Alzheimer's 

Improving fertility by increasing sperm strength and sperm countReducing your risk for many types of cancer (including cancers of the breast, colon, bladder and mouth) by stimulating apoptosis (cancer cell death) and inhibiting lipid peroxidation 

Helping to prevent sunburn, and protecting you from the damaging effects of radiation (i.e., flying in airplanes, x-rays, CT scans, etc.)Improving recovery from spinal cord and other central nervous system injuries 

Reducing oxidative damage to your DNA


Reducing inflammation from all causes, including arthritis and asthma

Reducing symptoms from pancreatitis, multiple sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and Lou Gehrig's disease, and neurodegenerative diseases

How Much Astaxanthin do You Need to Protect Your Brain?Unless you are a flamingo or some other marine animal, you are probably not getting very much astaxanthin from your diet alone because there are only two prime sources: microalgae and sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish, red trout and krill). Compared gram for gram:
Salmon contains 5-40 parts per million of astaxanthin
Krill contains about 120 parts per million of astaxanthin
Shrimp provides about 1,200 parts per million, and
Microalgae (H. pluvalis) contains 40,000 parts per million

I have mentioned astaxanthin in reference to krill oil, which has been my preferred source of animal-based omega-3 fats for many years now, because krill oil naturally contains astaxanthin (about 1 milligram (mg) per serving). The typical dose of astaxanthin when taken in supplement form is 2-4 milligrams, but emerging evidence suggests many people probably need more, depending on their health status.

Based on my discussions with Dr. Corish, I increased my own dosage to 8 mg a day and I'm considering increasing it to 12 mg, which he believes is the optimal dose for both brain and heart health. Dr. Corish explained:"We have found that there is an abnormal accumulation of hydroperoxides within red blood cells in people who have dementia and Alzheimer's. We now know that if you give these patients astaxanthin, the amount of peroxides – these harmful free radicals – is reduced by 50 percent. That's a significant reduction, and that is at a dose of 12 milligrams.
 It protects my mitochondria.
You know, we are bombarded by such an amount of free radicals. The free radicals that come from the environment, those in our food, pesticides, herbicides, environmental smoke, and excessive sunlight. If I know that I'm going to be out playing golf for more than a couple of hours, I definitely want some protection. And astaxanthin provides that internal protection.
I think 12 milligrams really covers everything.
If you want to just take it as a general antioxidant coverage, I believe between four and six milligrams will be adequate. If you want it for skin, two to four milligrams would be adequate. Once again, depending on the condition that you are really trying to target, you can tailor your dose."

Fortunately, astaxanthin has a flawless safety record. No harmful side effects have been noted in any of the safety studies performed. If you were to take very high doses (about 50 mg a day, which I don't currently recommend) your skin may take on an orange hue, but this is simply a cosmetic change and will not harm your health in any way.

astaxanthin Haematococcus microalgae Spirulina

Spirulina is a microalgae that cannot be seen by the naked eye. It is a multi-cellular blue-green algae, grown in warm and brackish water, with alkaline properties. The most well-known strain of spirulina, researched in more than 30 countries by 4,000 scientists worldwide, is Spirulina platensis. The root of “spirulina” comes from Latin, meaning helix or spiral, and it refers to the spiral shape of the cells.


Spirulina's helix or spiral structure
Spirulina is typically found in fresh or brackish water. It is composed of 60-70% protein in dry weight. Its protein elements include 18 types of amino acids, several vitamins and minerals, thousands of enzymes and several essential and non-essential fatty acids.

Dunaliella salina is a single-celled, saltwater microalgae that accumulates massive amounts of carotenoids under appropriate growth conditions. It is characterized by its ability to accumulate very high concentrations of β-carotene. Concentrations of up to 14% of its dry weight have been reported (Aasen et al., 1969; Borowitzka, LJ et al., 1984). The green unicellular flagellate Dunaliella salina also accumulate very high concentrations of glycerol (Borowitzka, LJ and Brown, 1974; Borowitzka, LJ, 1981 b).


Dunaliella's rich beta carotene
Natural mixed carotenoids found in Dunaliella salina are among nature's best antioxidants, containing a variety of carotenoids such as β-carotene, α-carotene and xanthophylls like zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin and lutein. Natural mixed carotenoids belong to a family of naturally occurring yellow, orange and red pigments, which are also found in various fruits, cruciferous, yellow and dark green vegetables and in abundance in certain microalgae.

Haematococcus pluvialis

 is believed to be by far the world's richest known source of astaxanthin, a unique natural carotenoid pigment and biological antioxidant. When compared with vitamin E, astaxanthin’s potency as an antioxidant ranges from approximately 80 to as much as 550 times greater. Additionally, when tested against a wide array of ROS and nitrogen-reactive species, astaxanthin appears to be the most effective in scavenging this wide variety of harmful products. Astaxanthin is known to be able to span the lipid/protein bilayer of biological membranes, imparting a powerful antioxidant effect.


Haematococcus: the richest source of astaxanthin
Haematococcus pluvialis' combination of carotenoids yields superior potency and versatility for an ideal antioxidant. Additionally, because its astaxanthin appears to enter the central nervous system better than many other antioxidants, its utility for many disorders of the central nervous system is promising.


Haematococcus yields mixed carotenoids

BAC Contains High Levels of Astaxanthin, the Star of the Carotenoids

BAC Contains High Levels of Astaxanthin, the Star of the Carotenoids
Astaxanthin is a pigment of the carotenoid complex found in the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis present in Bio-Algae Concentrates. It is an oxygenated pigment called a xanthophyll. Its unique molecular structure gives it a superior antioxidant capacity. 

I will focus on this extraordinary red pigment to illustrate the power of Bio-Algae Concentrates.


Astaxanthin is most effective against Lipoperoxidation in membrane models
Astaxanthin is 40 times more effective as an antioxidant than beta-carotene, 500 to 1000 times more effective in inhibiting lipid peroxidation than Vitamin E, has greater anti-inflammatory capability than Vitamin E, has almost 4 times the antioxidant capacity of lutein, provides superior protection against UVA and UVB light-induced oxidative stress, is more stable in scavenging and quenching than beta-carotene, canthaxanthin and zeaxanthin, is highly potent in enhancing T1 and T2 helper cells and IgM and IgG (secondary immunity) production, is more effective than lycopene and lutein in enhancing liver microsome detoxification activity (enzymes that metabolize drugs), enhances the actions of Vitamins C and E in the body, and enhances the release of retinol (Vitamin A) from the liver when needed.

There is a substantial body of literature including in vitro studies, preclinical studies and several human clinical trials that show that astaxanthin, with its unique molecular structure and resulting potent antioxidant activity, may be an effective therapeutic modality for a variety of conditions, including cardiovascular, immune, anti-inflammatory, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Independent of the Soviet studies, there have been numerous preclinical in vivo and in vitro studies and several human clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of astaxanthin.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that astaxanthin was found to significantly increase strength and endurance. Another clinical study shows that Astaxanthin alleviates symptoms in patients with Helicobacter pylori (pre-ulcer indigestion). A third clinical study demonstrated bioavailability in humans. Additional human clinical studies are in progress.

Astaxanthin has been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation at the cell level, thus protecting the cell membrane and the mitochondrial membrane within the cell. It is able to cross the blood-brain barrier which makes it available to the eye, brain and central nervous system to alleviate oxidative stress that contributes to ocular and neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma and Alzheimer's. Astaxanthin has also been shown to provide significantly more antioxidant capacity than other carotenoids and antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and Vitamin E.

Astaxanthin entraps free radicals by adding them to its long, double-bonded chain.


Chemical Structure of Astaxanthin (free form)
Rather than donating an electron, astaxanthin stabilizes the cell membrane like a bridge, in that its polar end groups span the cell membrane thus increasing its rigidity and mechanical strength. This allows astaxanthin to neutralize singlet and triplet oxygen generated by UVA and UVB radiation and other sources, to bind to lipoprotein, an efficient transport vehicle, making it more bioavailable, and to increase immune system function, including heightened production of antibody-secreting cells and Interleukin 2 and suppression of Interferon-gamma.


Astaxanthin spans the cell membrane bilayer
Newer studies have shown that astaxanthin inhibits reactive oxygen species that cause inflammation, enhances the antioxidant actions of Vitamin E and Vitamin C, and encourages the release of Vitamin A from the liver when needed.



Astaxanthin has 500-1000 times the antioxidant capacity of Vitamin E and 40 times the antioxidant capacity of beta-carotene. Many laboratory studies also indicate Astaxanthin works better than lutein, lycopene and tocotrienols. Following ingestion, astaxanthin is absorbed by the duodenal mucosa and transported to the liver where it binds with a lipoprotein for transport through the body and to the cell site. Because it is oxygenated, a xanthophyll has greater antioxidant capacity than many other carotenoids. Within the xanthophylls, the astaxanthin molecule contains the longest conjugated, double-bond polyene chain along with both hydroxy and carbonyl groups at each end. This configuration supports the greatest antioxidant capacity, peroxyl radical chain-breaking abilities, the incorporation of free radicals into its polyene chain thereby more effectively trapping them, and the enhancement of Vitamin C as an antioxidant.

While other carotenoids and antioxidants may perform one or two of these functions, astaxanthin does them all and, in most cases, does them better. In addition to entrapping free radicals, astaxanthin also de-charges singlet and triplet oxygen and inhibits reactive oxygen, giving it anti-inflammatory properties.

astaxanthin

Think pink to prevent dementia: natural pigment astaxanthin protects brain

 It's time to "think pink". No, that's not just the familiar marketing slogan used to promote breast cancer awareness (and, it can be argued, to push the multi-million dollar breast cancer industry). Instead, thinking pink is something that could literally save your brain.

Scientists have documented that daily supplements of the natural pigment astaxanthin reduces the accumulation of compounds called phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH) which are known to accumulate abnormally in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) of people with dementia. Bottom line: the researchers from Tohoku University who are behind the study believe the pink pigment may well "contribute to the prevention of dementia."

That's great news because the mind-robbing malady known as dementia is a growing problem in the U.S. -- and mainstream medicine and Big Pharma have come up with little help and hope for the condition. In fact, according to the Alzheimer's Association, about 5.4 million Americans currently have the best known and most feared kind of dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD). That number is expected to rise as the population ages.

Astaxanthin is a phytochemical known as a carotenoid. Like many carotenoids, it is a colorful, fat soluble pigment. Astaxanthin is found in types of microalgae and fish that eat them -- including salmon and trout as well as krill, shrimp, crayfish and other crustaceans. Its what gives salmon its pink color.

The new Japanese study, just published in the British Journal of Nutrition, involved thirty healthy subjects between the ages of 50 and 69 who were randomly assigned to receive or 6 or 12 mg of astaxanthin or a placebo each day for 12 weeks. The results showed that PLOOH levels in erythrocytes plummeted in the people taking the astaxanthin supplements -- falling 40% and 50% in the 6 and 12 mg groups, respectively, compared with no change in the placebo group.

"The present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial shows that when human subjects ingest astaxanthin, it is absorbed, distributed and accumulated in erythrocytes, where it exhibits antioxidative effects (inhibition of erythrocyte PLOOH)," the researchers stated in their paper.
"This possibility warrants the testing of astaxanthin in other models of dementia with a realistic prospect of its use as a human therapy."

Previous research has shown that astaxanthin reduces the oxidative damage caused by LDL (the "bad" type of cholesterol), so it may reduce the formation of plaque in arteries. The natural pigment also appears to boost the immune response by increasing the number of antibody producing cells. What's more, research has indicated astaxanthin could protect the skin from sunburn and may offer some protection from skin cancer, too.