Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, which is a yellow or red pigment found widely in plants and animals and the member of a distinct class of phytochemicals (i.e., chemical compounds occurring naturally in plants) called terpenes. It contains the yellow pigments xanthophylls and like most of the carotenoids, astaxanthin is also colorful and lipid soluble. Professor Basil Weedon has mapped the first structure of astaxanthin. This pigment can be found in salmon, trout, shrimp, microalgae, crayfish, yeast, krill and crustaceans, as well as in bird feathers.
Facts
Most of the astaxanthin, found commercially, is produced chemically rather than extracting it from the marine animals or plants. To enhance the color of fishes and crustaceans of the farms, astaxanthin is mixed in the feed itself. According to algatech.com, astaxanthin "is the most abundant carotenoid in the marine world and exhibits potent antioxidant properties."
Significance
The scientific community believes that astaxanthin is almost 10 times more powerful than any other type of carotenoid. But this theory is still arguable, as some sources claim that astaxanthin has a lower antioxidant property than most of the carotenoids. Astaxanthin does not transform into retinol (vitamin A) after entering the tissues like many other carotenoids. More than enough vitamin A can also become toxic for humans, which is not the case with astaxanthin.
Function
Astaxanthin has several essential biological functions. In aquatic animals, it protects them from ill-effects of oxidation and ultraviolet rays. It also preserves the potency of their immunity and pigmentation. It provides red or pink color to the salmonoids and crustaceans. However, astaxanthin is not necessarily a coloring agent; instead it is a strong antioxidant and that is why it has some essential applications in cosmetics, nutraceuticals and food industries.
Health Benefits
There are several significant health benefits of astaxanthin. It is used to effectively cure neurodegenerative diseases, sunburn, diabetes, inflammation and central nervous disorders. It can also be used to improve the efficacy of muscle endurance, cardiovascular health, joint health, eye health and skin health. According to phytochemicals.info, "Astaxanthin protects the eyes and skin from sun radiation damage by quenching singlet and triplet oxygen." Astaxanthin has the free-radical scavenging activity that helps in protecting the lipid from peroxidation and in reducing the arterial plaque formation by minimizing the oxidative injury of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. It also helps in preventing the oxidative damages of cells and mitochondrial membranes alike. Phytochemicals.info also reports that, "Astaxanthin seems to improve the immune system by increasing the number of antibody producing cells."
Natural Distribution
Most of the natural astaxanthin is produced by the microalga haematococcus pluvialis. The concentration of astaxanthin in this alga can be in the extent of 30g per kg of dried alga. The haematococcus pluvalis is the primary diet of several marine animals like crawfish, lobsters, crabs and many other fishes. Commercially, astaxanthin is also extracted from the yeast xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous.
Member Comments