Source of Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is one of the most widely and the naturally distributed in the marine animals including those of crustaceans like shrimps, crabs and in fish variety like salmon and the trout. Astaxanthin and its esters are isolated from the shells of the lobsters and exoskeletons od the shrimps.

Generally, in crustaceans, astaxanthin accumulates initially in the shell which is associated with the red organ color only when it is released and it is further followed but rating with thermal or solvent.

Astaxanthin is also considered as one of the most dominant carotenoids, which shows both strong quenching effects against the singlet oxygen and the strong scavenging effect against all the free radicals.

What is Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is one of the reddish pigments which belongs to the family of carotenoid which is one of chemical compound. It can also be naturally found in many of the marine species like salmon, lobster, trout, shrimp and in several marine species that are consumed and also in some species of algae.

Astaxanthin is one among the seven hundred known natural carotenoids and is most abundantly found carotenoid in the marine environment. It is in such a way in what colors does the salmon flesh, shrimp red and the lobster shell looks.

Natural astaxanthin alone is derived from the micro algae and the year which is now a days commercially sale for direct consumption of the humans. This natural Astaxanthin was released in the late 1990 s in the human nutrition market.

Astaxanthin is also considered as one of the superior antioxidants and it is also known as super Vitamin E as it has an efficient antioxidant activity.

Astaxanthin Benefits

As mentioned above, astaxanthin is one of the superior antioxidants and is also therefore known as super vitamin E as its antioxidant activity suppress the characteristics of the other carotenoids like Beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein along with the vitamins like C and E which quences the singlet oxygens and the scavenging free radicals.

Increasing evidences also detects the role of the astaxanthin by protecting it from the chemically induced cancers, which also helps in enhancing the activity of the immune system, and also in preventing the effects of damages which are due to the effects of the ultra violet rays and also helps in curing the various diseases that affects human like atherosclerosis and other age-related muscular degenerations.

Astaxanthin is now a days marketed as one of the functional ingredients across many places in the world. Apart from all these benefits Astaxanthin also plays it role as a functional food ingredient and as a dietary supplement. One of the major applications of astaxanthin is that is used as the feed additive in the field of aquaculture and in the poultry industries.

In aquaculture is used as an important additive fish feed for improving flesh coloration which is generally pink in color and this is one which the customer wishes when he buys. This technique is most commonly used in salmonids, as salmonids does not have the ability to synthesize their own astaxanthin de novo pigments. In the field of poultry astaxanthin plays a very important role in increasing the color of the yolk in the egg.

Astaxanthin SideEffects

We generally come across the term, whatever we take than needed it is absolutely not good. In the same way, large does of these antioxidants disrupts the adaptations of the mitochondrial biogenesis. As mentioned above astaxanthin is one of the most powerful antioxidants, and in some cases, even adding or consuming it in smaller amount can cause higher impacts. But these are not clearly determined till now.

Astaxanthin Precaution

If you want to take astaxanthin then you must talk with your physician, and should be examined whether this dose is allergic or else whether it causes any of the side effects.

Astaxanthin also contains some of the inactive ingredients which results in serious allergic reactions. It generally occurs in patients who have some of the disorders in bleeding, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, causing low blood calcium levels, hypertension, asthma.

Astaxanthin Uses

Usually, Astaxanthin is recommended to use it in a dosage of wither 6 or 8 milligram per day. It is well enough; it is enriched with salmon oil which contains adequate levels of oil supplements. This dose is nearly equal to 1.6 kg of a fresh salmon. However, daily consumption of Astaxanthin leads to many significant benefits like protecting the skin against ultra violet radiations, improving the elasticity of the skin, clearing the wrinkles, and treating the dry skin and age spots, etc. On the other hand, over dose of these doses leads to many of the side effects which may also sometimes results in complications.

Astaxanthin Storage

Astaxanthin is not recommended to be placed directly under the heat of sun, direct exposure to light or air, which has the high chances of damaging the medicine. These medicines should be kept in a safe place and it must also be out of the children. Mostly these drugs are maintained at a room temperature of about 20 to 25 degree Celsius.