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What's your take on astaxanthin?

astaxanthin

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#1 dunbar

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Posted 26 January 2014 - 12:10 AM


Is it something worth taking daily like fish oil?
I read that it lowers oxidative stress which would be good but would it have to be taken daily for a longer time to do this or does it do this right from the start?
And how much would one need to take daily? I have caps which contain 4mg.
Are there any risks associated with it, like beta-carotene and smokers?

And does it really have a noticable effect, like "more energy"?

And are there any drug interactions? For example what if you're on antidepressants or other drugs? How shall you know if you can still take
astaxanthin?

#2 Darryl

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Posted 26 January 2014 - 03:08 AM

Just addressing astaxanthin's antioxidant properties here:

All carotenoids can physicallly quench UV generated singlet oxygen radicals, dissipating the electron exitation energy of 1O2 as heat. LIke the xanthophylls zeaxanthin and lutein, astaxanthin can cross the blood-retina barrier and provide some protection against UV light in the eye. As a physical quencher,astaxanthin is 2.5 times as potent as zeaxanthin and 7 times as potent as lutein in aqueous solution, but equivalent to zeaxanthin and only 3 times as potent as lutein in lipid membranes, where most will segregate. For prevention of UV photodamage in skin, the carotenoid lycopene, available at much higher dietary concentrations (but not to the retina), is a comparable singlet quencher. See this paper for carotenoid quenching comparisons:

Nishida, Yasuhiro, Eiji Yamashita, and Wataru Miki. "Quenching activities of common hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants against singlet oxygen using chemiluminescence detection system." Carotenoid Science 11 (2007): 16-20.

For chemical quenching of radicals (including singlet oxygen)
, there are better alternatives. Concentrations of other antioxidants (uric acid and vitamin C in plasma; glutathione (GSH) and vitamin C in cytosol; vitamin E and more common carotenes in membranes; perhaps ergothioneine (EGT) localized to mitochondria) are all orders of magnitude higher; and unlike the carotenes, GSH, C, E, and EGT are rapidly recycled to their reduced (antioxidant) state. So, while I find astaxanthin interesting for macular degeneration prevention in those with xanthophyll-poor diets, I'm not convinced it offers significant benefits over more common dietary carotenes in UV-exposed skin. Elsewhere in the body the endogenous and vitamin antioxidants appear more important.

Astaxanthin has other reported properties including immunomodulation, improved semen quality, improvement of hypertension and metabolic syndrome, see refs 9-18 in the linked paper for more information. However, its rarely tested directly against other antioxidant interventions, so its difficult to say if its potency justifies its higher cost.

Edited by Darryl, 26 January 2014 - 03:27 AM.

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#3 blood

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Posted 27 January 2014 - 05:38 AM

This study is interesting - astaxanthin improves mitochondrial function in healthy, older dogs (wonder if the elderly dogs on astaxanthin displayed a "new lease on life", like reports of elderly dogs on EVOO-C60?):

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/23100599

J Anim Sci. 2013 Jan;91(1):268-75. doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-5341. Epub 2012 Oct 16.

Astaxanthin modulates age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction in healthy dogs.

Park JS, Mathison BD, Hayek MG, Zhang J, Reinhart GA, Chew BP.

Abstract

Young (2.97±0.01 yr; 8.16±0.15 kg BW) and geriatric (10.71±0.01 yr; 9.46±0.18 kg BW) healthy female Beagle dogs (n=14/age group) were fed 0 or 20 mg astaxanthin daily for 16 wk to examine modulation of mitochondrial function. Fasted blood was sampled on wk 0, 8, and 16. Mitochondriamembrane permeability, ATP production, cytochrome c oxidase/reductase, and number were assessed in leukocytes whereas astaxanthin uptake, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-isoprostane, and protein carbonyl were measured in plasma. Aging increased (P<0.05) complex III cytochrome c oxidoreductase but decreased (P<0.05) 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and protein carbonyl. Mitochondrial function improved in both young and geriatric dogs by increasing (P<0.05) ATP production, mitochondria mass, and cytochrome c oxidoreductase activity, especially in geriatric dogs compared with young dogs. Astaxanthin feeding also increased (P<0.05) the reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione ratio in young dogs and decreased (P<0.05) nitric oxide in both young and geriatric dogs. Dietary astaxanthin improved mitochondrial function in blood leukocytes, most likely by alleviating oxidative damage to cellular DNA and protein.


PMID: 23100599 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Edited by blood, 27 January 2014 - 05:39 AM.


#4 dunbar

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Posted 30 January 2014 - 05:46 PM

Thanks for your replies.

My main question is wether astaxanthin is basically safe for long-term use. I mean imagine you take this stuff daily and pay a lot of money for it and then they suddenly find out that it has side effects or encourages cancer or oxidative stress or that it can be harmful for the eyes? That's what worries me. One of my opthalmologist also told me not to take any retinols cause they can damage the eyes. Great.... :sad:

#5 Darryl

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Posted 30 January 2014 - 08:24 PM

Singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) to my knowledge isn't one of the radicals used in cellular signalling. So moderate doses of physical quenching carotenoids shouldn't pose problems. The issues that arise with high-dose exogenous antioxidant supplementation appear to result from chemical quenching of normal signalling by superoxide and nitric oxide. The carotenoids aren't notably potent as chemical quenchers, but unlike most dietary antioxidants they are well-absorbed. Activity of endogenous antioxidant producing enzymes (glutathione reductase, etc.) are tightly regulated to prevent excess quenching.

An important consideration that I didn't address is that the carotenoids appear to compete for absorption. So high beta-carotene, for example, will interfere with uptake of the 600+ other carotenoids,including those necessary for eye health like zeaxanthin, lutein or astaxanthin. Its perhaps wise avoid taking these (or supplements with these) in high-carotenoid meals. Fat content will dramatically increase absorption several fold, but the fatty-acid content has a much smaller impact (20-30%).
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#6 dunbar

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Posted 30 January 2014 - 08:44 PM

Fat content will dramatically increase absorption several fold, but the fatty-acid content has a much smaller impact (20-30%).


Not sure I understand this. Where is the difference between fat content and fatty acid content?
So should one best take astaxanthin with a high fat meal? The pills which I take contain astaxanthin mixed in olive oil. How do you know how much fat you need for absorption? Could one also simply take astaxanthin together with fish oil so that you get a few grams of fat from the fish oil or would you need really huge amounts of fats?

And how much astaxanthin per day would be good if you're planning to take it long term? Is 4mg enough?

And do we know how fast astaxanthin starts to reduce oxidative stress? Does it take many weeks or does it work instantly?
For example if you take astaxanthin every now and then but not daily would it be useless?

#7 Darryl

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Posted 30 January 2014 - 09:09 PM

Adding monounsaturate rich avocado or avocado oil increases bioavailability of salad carotenoids by 4-to-6 fold in this study, but different fatty acid compositions of the added fats have a lesser effect, about 20-30% in this study.
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#8 Darryl

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Posted 30 January 2014 - 09:10 PM

Adding monounsaturate rich avocado or avocado oil increases bioavailability of salad carotenoids by 4-to-6 fold in this study, but different fatty acid compositions of the added fats have a lesser effect, about 20-30% in this study.

#9 Razor444

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Posted 13 December 2014 - 03:18 PM

Recent study...

 

Astaxanthin Inhibits JAK/STAT-3 Signaling to Abrogate Cell Proliferation, Invasion and Angiogenesis in a Hamster Model of Oral Cancer:

 

Identifying agents that inhibit STAT-3, a cytosolic transcription factor involved in the activation of various genes implicated in tumour progression is a promising strategy for cancer chemoprevention. In the present study, we investigated the effect of dietary astaxanthin on JAK-2/STAT-3 signaling in the 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis model by examining the mRNA and protein expression of JAK/STAT-3 and its target genes. Quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that astaxanthin supplementation inhibits key events in JAK/STAT signaling especially STAT-3 phosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of STAT-3. Furthermore, astaxanthin downregulated the expression of STAT-3 target genes involved in cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis, and reduced microvascular density, thereby preventing tumour progression. Molecular docking analysis confirmed inhibitory effects of astaxanthin on STAT signaling and angiogenesis. Cell culture experiments with the endothelial cell line ECV304 substantiated the role of astaxanthin in suppressing angiogenesis. Taken together, our data provide substantial evidence that dietary astaxanthin prevents the development and progression of HBP carcinomas through the inhibition of JAK-2/STAT-3 signaling and its downstream events. Thus, astaxanthin that functions as a potent inhibitor of tumour development and progression by targeting JAK/STAT signaling may be an ideal candidate for cancer chemoprevention.



#10 normalizing

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Posted 23 October 2016 - 10:24 PM

this seems to be the latest thread discussing astaxanthin in the past few years which is interesting for me, how did it this carotenoid fall out of popularity? i dont see it sold as much as it used to be, and not many people discuss it and i do not see any new interesting news on it either. so whats the take on this, how did it fall out of favor, and does anyone still bother with it at all??



#11 pamojja

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Posted 24 October 2016 - 08:47 AM

Tested my oxLDL twice. End of 2012 came back at 66, end of 2015 at 114 (10-170 ug/ml normal range; optimal <60), almost double. The only Antioxidant changed during these 2 time-periods was Astaxanthin with formerly 8.7 mg/d, and later 4.6 mg/d.



#12 normalizing

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Posted 24 October 2016 - 07:49 PM

so astaxanthin is good for cholesterol?



#13 pamojja

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Posted 24 October 2016 - 08:31 PM

For oxidated LDL, at least in my limited experience.



#14 normalizing

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Posted 26 October 2016 - 02:51 AM

to be honestly im just interested on its effect on eye health. so far the only good reliable literature available for human eye health is based on supplementing lutein in combination with zeaxanthin but im not sure if astaxanthin has similar effect considering its not an actual carotenoid.



#15 yucca06

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Posted 26 October 2016 - 03:08 PM

It has real effects with eye health. helped a lot in my case (no fatigue anymore with screen working) at 12mg/d. Didn't see anything with only 4mg though.

#16 normalizing

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Posted 26 October 2016 - 06:30 PM

Of the more than 600 carotenoids found in nature, only lutein and zeaxanthin isomers—RR-zeaxanthin and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin—are located in the eye, specifically the macula. The macular carotenoids make up the macular pigment, and their deposition in the macula is highly specific: lutein is preferentially deposited in the peripheral macula, RR-zeaxanthin in the mid-peripheral macula and RS-zeaxanthin at the center of the macula—the region most susceptible to photo-oxidative damage. Acting as primary filters of high-energy blue light, lutein and zeaxanthin isomers support visual health and acuity by protecting against oxidative stress and inflammation

 

see, only three are located in the eye hence only studies i can find to show benefit and thats why its hard for me to believe astaxanthin has any positive effect on eye health :S


Edited by normalizing, 26 October 2016 - 06:40 PM.


#17 normalizing

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Posted 26 October 2016 - 07:17 PM

just read this about vitamin a enriched orange maze actually proven to boost eyesight in children; http://www.medicalne...ases/313705.php



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#18 RWhigham

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Posted 27 October 2016 - 04:09 PM

Didn't see it mentioned above -  astaxanthin fits perfectly into lipid membranes with no disruption ( like a saturated fat) and is thus the ideal anti-oxidant for lipid membranes (eg LDL and cell walls). In contrast, beta carotene and other carotenoids do not fit precisely into membranes. Their disruption may cause more harm than good. I personally avoid beta carotene.  https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22214255

 

I take 4 mg of astaxanthin twice/day, plus another 2 mg in my Koncentrated-K.


Edited by RWhigham, 27 October 2016 - 04:11 PM.

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