Astaxanthin (the best evidence that **SOME** antioxidants can still be pro-longevity)

[Alex K Chen]

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constant DNA damage is a fact, and at least knowledge is empowering; thus, we can start doing something about it. Anyway, in 2010, a study looked at healthy 21.5 year old women (on average) that took placebo, 2 mg or 8 mg/day of astaxanthin for 8 weeks. Remarkably, both doses of astaxanthin significantly lowered the rate of DNA breakdown.5 One of the interesting take home messages here is that even people in their twenties are experiencing measurable DNA damage. They are already aging, they just don’t know it.

Seeking more evidence of astaxanthin’s power to combat free radicals, eyeball tissues in diabetic rats were examined for evidence of hyperglycemic induced, oxidative stress damage and its reversibility. Not only do high glucose levels increase the production of free oxygen radicals, it causes the depletion of cellular antioxidant defense capacities. Not unexpectedly, significant damage to the retina and surrounding eye tissues was noted in the control group. By comparison, the addition of astaxanthin to their diet, at a variety of concentrations, was extremely beneficial.

 

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astaxanthin molecule reaches an individual cell, and we’ll get to transport later, it is able to incorporate into both the cell membrane and the mitochondrial membrane. The molecule inserts itself directly into the lipid bilayers, and spans the entire membrane.

Called a transmembrane orientation, this prime location allows the molecule to perform its magic in several subcellular components. As a direct result, astaxanthin is a far more potent free radical scavenger (ROS) than its molecular cousins. It is 200 times that of the other polyphenols, 150x anthocyanin, 75x alpha-lipoic acid, 550x greater than vitamin E, 54x greater than B-Carotene, 6000x greater than Vitamin C, and 800x that of Coenzyme Q.3

 

 

Edited May 16 by Alex K Chen

[Alex K Chen]

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The green microalga Hematococcus pluvialis has exceptional pigment accumulation potential under stress conditions, and it is one of the best sources of natural ASX for the food and pharma industries. Microalgae-derived ASX is generally recognized as safe by the FDA, meaning it can be sold as a dietary supplement. In Europe ASX-rich oleoresin from Haematococcus pluvialis algae is authorized in food supplements at levels of up to 40–80 mg/day which corresponds to a maximum authorized level of 8 mg ASX per day, considering the acceptable daily intake for the total ASX derived from supplement and the background diet being 0.2 mg/kg BW. In recent years, the scientific interest in this molecule has grown exponentially, moving from the use as a food coloring to a promising anti-aging molecule [39]. The peculiarity of its action is to be found in its chemical structure. By virtue of the central polyene chain containing 13 conjugated double bonds, ASX acts as a scavenger of free radicals in the internal membrane layer and simultaneously controls oxidation on the surface of the membrane itself through the end rings [42]. These characteristics are the main reasons for the exceptional antioxidant capacity of ASX, which is approximately ten times more effective than β-carotene or lutein and about 100 times than α-tocopherol [43]. In a randomized, blinded, four-arm, prospective study in 32 healthy individuals aged 60–70 years with confirmed signs of oxidative stress, a lysosomal formulation of dark chocolate containing 7 mg of co-crystalized ASX with enhanced bioavailability, showed interesting effects on the correction of oxidative status in aging individuals, suggesting a promising synergic combination of ASX with dark chocolate [44].

physionic just did a post..

..why is ASX so much better than tocotrienols or any of the others?

https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/epdf/10.1142/9789811278358_0001

https://x.com/worldscientific/status/1791340369348866097

Edited May 26 by Alex K Chen

[Alex K Chen]

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-024-00150-8

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