Some Major Astaxanthin Benefits You May Benefit From

By Douglas Edwards


Astaxanthin is a form of pigment that falls under a group of nutrients refereed to as carotenoids. It gives a red colour to microalgae commonly found under the sea. Other sources include shrimp, trout, yeast and salmon. The nutrient has been isolated and is now commercially available as a supplement. There are several astaxanthin benefits that be derived by consumers.

One of the most well known benefits of all carotenoids is that they have antioxidant properties. This enables them to rid the cell of reactive oxygen species. Failure to get rid of such reactive species puts the cells at risk of DNA damage. While cells have a natural mechanism in place to undertake get rid of the species, these mechanisms may be overwhelmed at times.

By virtue of their antioxidant properties, these supplements also have anticancer effects. This can be explained by the fact that cancer has its basis in gene mutation. The mutation is followed by uncontrolled growth of cells in a particular area in the body. Since DNA damage is reduced, it follows that the rate of mutation is also reduced. Breast cancer is one of the cancers exhibiting a lot of promise from research studies.

There are several joint problems that have had an improvement in symptoms. They include, for example rheumatoid arthritis and carpal syndrome. To get even greater benefit, there is a need to use astaxanthin alongside other forms of therapy such as physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. A number of studies on the mechanisms involved in the management of rheumatoid arthritis are still being carried out.

Another potentially important application of astaxanthin is the treatment of male infertility. One of the studies that supports this claim was carried in 2005 and involved about 30 men who had been diagnosed with the condition. It was established that men who were put on the supplement experienced improvements in aspects such as sperm count and motility. This was quite a small study and thus a larger, randomized, controlled, multicenter study was recommended .

The supplement is said to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the body. More specifically, it reduces LDL cholesterol and raises the levels of HDL cholesterol. The net effect is reduced extent of arterial narrowing and associated disease conditions such as heart attack, stroke and hypertension. A direct reduction of blood pressure may also be present.

On the skin, taken orally it has been associated with a reduction in wrinkles. It also helps to increase the amount of moisture in the skin. A cream with the same ingredient is available and can be applied directly to the wrinkled part of the skin and achieve even greater effects. Another important benefit is that of reducing the effects of sunburn among persons that are susceptible.

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a visual impairment that sets in with advancing age in some people. It is mainly characterized by a part of the retina which will result in deficits in either central or peripheral vision. There are a number of reports that show the supplement may be helpful in restoring normalcy in the central part of the retina thus markedly improving vision among those affected. This is an observation that has been made for several other types of carotenoids as well.




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