Astaxanthin for Antioxidant Health 

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The term, "astaxanthin", is a big word for a simple and healthful molecule that does a remarkable job in the human body as an antioxidant. Everyone, I think, has heard of the term; however, few really understand what an antioxidant like astaxanthin is and why it's such a healthy product for many kinds of people. Antioxidants help neutralize oxidized molecules inside and outside of cells. While oxidized molecules have important biological functions, they can be very dangerous when in excess. Perhaps we should look at this oxidation process more closely.

Molecules are oxidized and "reduced" inside our healthy cells all the time. Oxidation occurs when a molecule provides another molecule with an extra atomic electron. The oxidized molecule carries a positive charge and the reduced molecule, which has an extra electron, is then called "reduced". The recipient molecule has an extra negative charge. Vital molecular interactions rely on this process. Energy for are cells are, in part, created by this biological process. Our natural killer cells use oxidized molecules as a part of their destruction of pathogens.

Oxidized molecules are also called free radical molecules or "free radicals". Free radicals are missing an electron and are desperate to find some other molecule to attach to so that an electron can be taken from it. This can, unfortunately, be a molecule that affects the cellular structure of the cell, the DNA of the cell or the function of the cell. When there are too many oxidized molecules in the body, the condition is called oxidative stress-a condition one wants to avoid or to neutralize with antioxidants.

We make natural antioxidants in our body to neutralize oxidized molecules. If we didn't, we would have considerable cellular destruction and be filled with cancerous cells. Under the best of circumstances, our body handles free radicals before they become too great in number. In situations of oxidative stress, however, we aren't equipped to deal with all the free radicals and our bodies become at risk for things like cancer cell proliferation, skin cell destruction and permanent eye damage.

Diabetes, smoking, excessive sunlight, food additives and ozone all contribute to oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress involves every cell in the body, any of our body systems can become dysfunctional, although certain body areas seem more prone to oxidative stress than others. Overall, however, we develop an increased risk for accelerated cell aging, cancer, heart disease, nerve and brain damage, eye damage, immune problems and inflammatory conditions whenever we are exposed to oxidative stress.

This is where antioxidants can help. Vitamins A, C and E, beta-carotene, zinc and selenium have some natural antioxidant properties and are found in aspects of our diet. It's important to remember that not all antioxidants work the same. Some are stronger than others and seem to show benefits in some areas and not in others. Scientists have found that, in other life forms, better antioxidants exist that work more efficiently and are more powerful than the ones we get in our normal diet. Astaxanthin is one of those antioxidants proven to be safe for human intake and superior to the vitamins and minerals we normally think of as antioxidants.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid (similar to beta-carotene), a pigmented long-chain molecule that is derived from a tropical microalgae strain called Haematococcus pluvialis whenever it is under stress. Astaxanthin gives color to salmon and to some pink or red-colored crustaceans. It has 500 times the antioxidant activity of vitamin E and 10 times the potency of beta-carotene.

There has been much recent research that points to astaxanthin's effectiveness as an antioxidant. While many antioxidants do their job neutralizing an oxidized molecule by giving it an electron, astaxanthin is unique as a natural antioxidant in that it doesn't donate an electron to neutralize a positively charged molecule. Instead, it tucks itself into the membranes of cells and simply and safely binds the free radicals to it. Those antioxidants that donate an electron to another molecule in order to neutralize it become free radicals themselves and can do their own damage. Astaxanthin doesn't become a free radical when it binds an oxidized molecule to it.

The eyes are particularly affected by free radicals; the usefulness of antioxidants in eye health has been studied extensively. It is believed that the UV radiation from sunlight affects both the lens of the eye and the retina. UV radiation, by means of causing oxidative stress on the eyes, causes clumping of the proteins in the lens, leading to lack of clarity of the lens and, eventually, to the formation of cataracts.

Macular degeneration, a type of blindness caused by cellular loss in the area of the retina, is believed to be mediated by free radicals. Many people develop some form of degeneration of the retina as they age and even young people can develop this condition. Astaxanthin, as a potent antioxidant, may help keep retinal cells from becoming damaged when exposed to the damaging UV rays in everyday sunshine. Unfortunately, the sunlight and UV radiation exposure is gradually increasing, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere.

Other research has shown that astaxanthin reduces the amount of inflammation-induced cardiac cell death that occurs whenever a blood clot blocks the blood supply to an area of the heart. In research protocols, it was found that animals given astaxanthin before having an artificially-induced heart attack had less cell damage than those that were not pretreated. This means that, in cases where someone has sustained a heart attack and receives prompt reperfusion by means of a clot-buster medication or emergency angioplasty, the cell damage to the heart may be reduced if they are taking astaxanthin.

Because astaxanthin can cross the blood-brain barrier, it is found to be an effective brain antioxidant. Studies show that antioxidants reduce the effects of oxidized molecules on Alzheimer's disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and Parkinson's disease. Free radicals in the brain cause progressive cell death and neurological impairment in these and other neurological conditions. Astaxanthin has been shown to protect these delicate nerve cells.

Studies show that antioxidants like astaxanthin reduce the amount of oxidized (free radical) LDL-cholesterol. Oxidized LDL-cholesterol is believed to promote the formation of arterial plaques that eventually can lead to heart disease, blood clots and strokes. An antioxidant with powerful effects, like astaxanthin, can reverse the oxidative stress inside the arteries and can reduce the effects of oxidized LDL-cholesterol on plaque formation.

Research has been done showing the anti-cancer affect of astaxanthin. Free radicals can damage the DNA of all types of cells, causing the cells to degenerate into cancer cells. Life-threatening cancers, like prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer, can be a result of oxidative stress-a condition that is known to be relieved by antioxidants like astaxanthin.

Oxidative stress can lead to damage to joint proteins and to the inflammation of the surfaces of joints. Arthritis can result from this kind of damage. Astaxanthin can reduce the pain of joint or muscle inflammation. One recent study on athletes found that their strength and endurance nearly tripled after using astaxanthin. With less pain and inflammation, athletic performance can be enhanced.

Astaxanthin has also been found to aid the immune system. It heightens the production of antibody-producing B-cells and appears to modulate other aspects of the immune system. Cell-mediated immunity-that which is derived from cells that kill infectious organisms-is also enhanced.

The skin itself is particularly prone to the oxidative damage from sunlight. This is why some in the sunny parts of the US appear to age more quickly than do Northerners. In fact, sunburn is nothing more than the inflammation one receives as a result of sun damage. Taking astaxanthin by mouth may be more effective and less toxic than sunblocks in preventing sun-damaged skin. Studies on the topical application of astaxanthin have also shown it to be beneficial to skin.

The formation of ulcers in the stomach is part of an inflammatory process that astaxanthin can protect one from. Experimental studies have shown that using astaxanthin is protective against the development of ulcer disease due to a variety of factors. Mice that were prone to ulcers from naproxen, a commonly-used anti-inflammatory medication, were protected from developing ulcers when astaxanthin was part of their diet.

A small European study showed that men with infertility of uncertain cause may benefit from astaxanthin. The study found that those who took astaxanthin had a 23% rate of pregnancy per cycle and a 55% overall rate of pregnancy as compared to 3.6% per cycle rate and 10.5% total rate of pregnancy in those who took a placebo. The taking of astaxanthin in the research group resulted in improved sperm velocity and pregnancy rate.

Diabetics seem to be under a constant state of oxidative stress and may find excellent benefits from astaxanthin. One particular research study evaluated the benefits of astaxanthin in diabetics prone to diabetic nephropathy or kidney damage. In the study, the progression of diabetic nephropathy was halted by the use of astaxanthin. In addition, diabetic heart disease, microvascular disease, blindness and kidney damage are common complications of diabetes. All of these conditions are worsened under oxidative stress and can be helped by the enhancement of antioxidation. Eye damage, common to diabetics, is caused by microvascular disease in the retinal areas of the eyes-also something that astaxanthin can help.

Astaxanthin seems to be an incredible antioxidant, free of side effects, has the potential to be extremely helpful for anyone looking to improve their overall health and to minimize the risk of microvascular disease, large vessel disease and diabetic complications. It has been found to be absorbed easily by the intestines and is carried safely on a lipoprotein through the blood stream where it fits into the cell membranes of any cells it comes into contact with. It helps us in situations of oxidative stress. It can be used alone or in combination with other nutritional supplements for overall body health and for the enhancement of antioxidative processes in our bodies.

References:  

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