In today's article, we are going to deal with a substance that is not particularly popular and many people may have never heard of it. Astaxanthin is not nearly as well known as other antioxidants, even though it is considered one of the most powerful natural antioxidants in the world. This carotenoid brings with it a myriad of health benefits that make it an extremely remarkable substance. So how is it that it is not as often talked about as antioxidants like vitamin C or turmeric? And what are its greatest health benefits? Is it safe to take in the long term? All this and much more can be found in the following paragraphs.
What is astaxanthin?
As mentioned in the introduction, astaxanthin is considered one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) natural antioxidants in the world. This carotenoid occurs naturally as a red dye found in various plants, but also in algae or bacteria. It can be found in salmon, but lobster also contains a high concentration of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is responsible for their typical red colour. However, the highest content of astaxanthin can be found in the freshwater alga Haematococcus pluvialis, which is a source of this antioxidant in its pure form.
Although the red dye present in algae or fish may not seem at first glance to be a particularly significant substance, the opposite is true. Astaxanthin, like most antioxidants, has a very beneficial effect on the overall health of the body, as it helps the body fight oxidative stress caused by the so-called 'oxidative stress'. free radicals. About how free radicals harm the body and how antioxidants can protect cells from their effectsYou can read more in our comparison of the best antioxidants. Astaxanthin is about 550 times more potent as an antioxidant than vitamin E and many times more potent than beta carotene, vitamin C or coenzyme Q10, its positive effects on human health are much more pronounced.
What are the benefits of astaxanthin?
What makes astaxanthin such a beneficial substance? In the following paragraphs, we will look at its biggest health benefits.
Strong antioxidant effects
Although we've already covered the antioxidant effects of astaxanthin a bit, it's worth paying a little more attention to them. An important property of antioxidants is their anti-inflammatory effect, and astaxanthin is no exception to this. It is anti-inflammatory and has a positive effect on the overall health of the body by neutralising free radicals. Moreover, as already mentioned, its antioxidant effect is much stronger than that of most other antioxidants.
Improves skin quality
Although the positive effect on skin quality is closely related to the antioxidant action, since wrinkles and other signs of aging are often accelerated byHowever, astaxanthin has such a significant effect in this respect that it deserves its own paragraph. Astaxanthin not only helps fight wrinkles, but also protects the skin from harmful UV rays. Its effect is even so strong that the study cited states that astaxanthin could provide complete protection against all UV-related skin problems.
Protects the heart
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the country. Astaxanthin can have a beneficial effect on heart health. It should be noted that there is a consensus among experts in this area that there is a need to knowmore studies of high quality for the effects of astaxanthin to be clearly demonstrated. However, there is every indication that astaxanthin also has significant health benefits in the field of cardiovascular health.
Positive effect on cognitive function
A very important property of astaxanthin is its positive effect on cognitive function in the elderly. In particular, the study cited highlights the effect of astaxanthin on memory in people suffering from memory impairment. This fact only confirms that the effect of antioxidants in general is important for all age groups, as it can help everyone with their specific problems. While young athletes will especially appreciate the anti-inflammatory effects of antioxidants, older people will particularly benefit from the positive effects on cognitive function and protection of the heart against disease.
Supports fertility
A worldwide problem that certainly doesn't get the media attention it deserves is male infertility. In fact, statistics clearly show that the percentage of infertile men has been rising steadily over the past few decades . Astaxanthin, according to some studies, could have a positive effect on male fertility. However, further high-quality studies are also needed in this area to draw firm conclusions.
The above list of astaxanthin's benefits is by no means exhaustive, but we do not have the space in this article to go into all of them in detail. Therefore, just to give you an idea, we can mention that there is also a lot of talk about the beneficial effects ofm effect of astaxanthin on joint health, its influence on the fight against cancer or even its positive effect on sports performance.
What do we need to watch out for?
Astaxanthin is generally considered a safe substance. After all, it is commonly found in foods that probably no one would think of as dangerous. Therefore, there is no reason to be afraid of its use. However, as with other substances, it is possible to overdo it with astaxanthin. In that case, it is possible that you may experience some health problemsthat are caused by excessive use of this substance. As a rule, this will be abdominal pain or digestive problems. However, such effects can be experienced after excessive consumption of almost any substance and are therefore not uncommon.
Taking astaxanthin can be a problem for people who have allergies to fish or seafood. The reason in this case is quite simple - these are the foods in which astaxanthin is most commonly found. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should first consult their doctor before taking astaxanthin. This also applies to people who are taking medication to regulate blood pressure.
Taking astaxanthin
If you are wondering when it is appropriate to take it, we have a very simple answer for you. Astaxanthin can be taken at any time. Supplement manufacturers often state that it should be taken with food, which we recommend sticking to. In its natural form, you also take astaxanthin with food, so you get many other substances into your body besides astaxanthin. As for the daily dose, it is considered safe to take up to 12 mg per day. If you decide to supplement with astaxanthin, we recommend that you follow the manufacturer's instructions, but the daily doses for supplements should not exceed this limit. Once you exceed the recommended dosage, you don't have to worry about getting any really strong negative effects, as these usually come only with long-term and really excessive use of astaxanthin. Nevertheless, we recommend that you monitor the doses you take closely.
Which product to choose?
Choosing the ideal supplement can be quite a challenge if one doesn't know exactly what factors to consider. When choosing an astaxanthin, one should pay particular attention to the purity and quality of the ingredients. One also needs to keep an eye on the active ingredient content, which should not be too low. These criteria are met, for example, by Algastin Natural Astaxanthin from the proven manufacturer Czech Virus. The more demanding among you will also appreciate BrainMax Astaxanthin BIO made from organically grown seaweed. Now Foods Astaxanthin also boasts an exceptionally high quality composition and is the bearer of many positive reviews. Fans of value for money will no doubt also appreciate GymBeam Astaxanthin. Although the choice of such a simple product as astaxanthin may seem quite banal, it is not to be taken lightly. So always choose only products from manufacturers you trust.
Final summary
Astaxanthin is an extremely powerful antioxidant that offers countless health benefitssuch as its anti-inflammatory effect or its excellent effect on skin quality. It is also valued for its ability to protect the heart from disease or to improve cognitive function, especially in the elderly. In nature, it is mainly found in freshwater algae or salmon. Its use is considered to be completely safe and, when following the recommendedits supplementation poses no health risk.
That is all for today's topic. But if you have any questions about the article, please contact us in the comments.
Why can you trust us?
Sport has been my lifelong passion, I have been close to it since I was a child. For a long time I was primarily involved in athletics, which also eventually led me to the gym. Every good sprinter knows that to get one tenth of a start, he must therefore sacrifice hundreds of hours in training. And it was this toil behind the curtain, which no one sees, that was my greatest passion.
Every kilo in the gym helped me to move a little closer to my goal and I fell in love with the gym very quickly. Even though I don't race anymore, nothing has changed in my relationship with uncompromising training.