Astaxanthin Benefits You Have Never Heard Of

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.

Most carotenoids have antioxidant properties and astaxanthin is not an exception. DNA damage occurs in a continuous process in the body and the cells have an inherent mechanism of protecting us against this damage. However, the repair mechanism may be overwhelmed leading to cell death and even precancerous states. Antioxidants like the carotenoids help the cells in the repair process.

Having antioxidant properties means that this supplement may indeed also have anticancer effects. This is because the genesis of most, if not all, cancers is a genetic mutation that ultimately leads to uncontrolled growth of cells. If DNA damage is minimized, the risk of cancer is also greatly reduced. One of the cancer types that appears to show a lot of promise is breast cancer.

Various musculoskeletal problems are said to show a positive response in symptoms. Those that feature most prominently include rheumatoid arthritis and the carpal tunnel syndrome. There is a need to combine it with other forms of treatment such as pain relieving g medication and physiotherapy so as to get maximal benefits. Studies on how well the supplements work in managing arthritis are still in progress.

Male infertility is another area generating interesting. A study carried out in 2005 involved thirty men who were confirmed to be suffering from the problem. They were put on this supplement for several weeks and re-evaluated. Indeed, an improvement in the sperm count and quality was noted. It is, however, difficult to generalize these findings hence the need to have more studies in this area.

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 condition that results from segmental damage of the retina with advancing age. Some of the proponents of this supplement have argued that it may help improve central vision though peripheral vision may continue to be impaired. Other benefits include, among others, the management of symptoms, menopausal symptoms, dyspepsia Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease.




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