Human Study Shows Potential Brain Health With Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a new and exciting nutrient that the research community is really starting to get excited about.  Astaxanthin is what gives shrimp, krill and salmon their pink color.  

Well, a new study from Japan is showing that it may also reduce the accumulation of compounds that are associated with dementia.  

Researchers looked at the results from thirty participants between the ages of 50 and 69.  They were randomly assigned a placebo, 6mg or 12mg of astaxanthin per day for 12 weeks.  

After those twelve weeks they saw a significant reduction in levels of compounds called phospholipd hydroperoxides, which are known to accumulate abnormally in the blood cells of people with dementia.  

What they found was that the astaxanthin was absorbed, distributed and accumulated in erythrocytes where it showed antioxidative effects and decreased the levels of these phospholipid hydroperoxides which increase with that have dementia.  

What is also exciting is that these results were experienced with a relatively short term supplementation.  Who knows what may happen with a longer treatment but it does appear that astaxanthin may contribute to the prevention of dementia.

Astaxanthin research is growing because its primary health benefits up to this point is eye health, central nervous system health and even joint health.   It has the antioxidant power 500 times that of Vitamin E so it is a powerhouse in fighting off the damaging free radicals that invade our bodies.

This research opens the door for future research and in other scenarios regarding dementia to see if this is a more effective way to treat dementia.  

This along with many other studies is why we include astaxanthin in our Omega Icon.  

Make sure you click the link below to learn why we choose krill oil and astaxanthin for our source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

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Reference:
British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1017/S0007114510005398
“Antioxidant effect of astaxanthin on phospholipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes”
Authors: K. Nakagawa, T. Kiko, T. Miyazawa, G. Carpentero Burdeos, F. Kimura, A. Satoh, T. Miyazawa