When to take Astaxanthin | PlanYourVitamins.com

What is astaxanthin good for?

Short answer: Astaxanthin has potential benefits for antioxidants, cancer prevention, inflammation, eye health, brain health, cardiovascular health, skin health, bone health, reproductive health, athletic performance and fertility.

Have you ever wondered why flamingos are pink? Or why salmon fillets have such a distinct orange color? Or why lobster turns such a vivid hue of red when cooked?

The answer is astaxanthin, a type of pigment that is known as a carotenoid, and which is naturally produced by certain species of micro-algae in order to protect themselves when they are exposed to stressful changes in their environment, such as an increase in salinity or sunlight for example, or when they sense that they are being eaten.

When these micro-algae end up forming a significant part of an animal's food supply, this is inevitably reflected in the animal's pigmentation, although in some cases, such as with certain types of lobster, the astaxanthin is only released through the process of being cooked.

Astaxanthin is what gives lobsters their distinct red color, although most of it is only released when they are cooked.

Antioxidant properties & health benefits

The specific reason that these micro-algae produce astaxanthin in order to protect themselves is that astaxanthin is a very potent antioxidant, which protects the algae from oxidative stress, and it is precisely these antioxidant properties that are of interest to human health. In fact, astaxanthin was actually found to be the carotenoid that had the highest antioxidant activity.

Studies have demonstrated that astaxanthin can help support eye health, cardiovascular health, skin health and brain health, in addition to supporting the immune system and reducing overall inflammation. It can also potentially help prevent and fight cancer. For example, studies have found both short-term and long-term benefits of astaxanthin supplementation for the treatment of breast cancer.

Cardiovascular health & physical endurance

In terms of cardiovascular health in particular, studies reveal that astaxanthin improves blood flow and arterial wall thickness, as well as increasing elastin, which plays an important role in the elasticity of our blood vessels.

There has also been research into astaxanthin's effects on athletic performance, showing that it can enhance physical endurance during exercise, as well as reduce levels of fatigue after exercise. It is thought that it achieves this by increasing the body's ability to use fatty acids during physical exertion.

Role in bone health

Research also shows that astaxanthin supplementation is able to increase bone density and promote bone mineralization, making it a valuable tool in the fight against bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Role in inflammation

Astaxanthin's anti-inflammatory properties are also being researched, and it shows promising results in the treatment of inflammation and pain in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Role in reproductive health

Reproductive health is another area of research where the benefits of astaxanthin are being studied, in particular for male fertility. One three-month study that involved 30 men suffering from infertility found that sperm count, sperm motility and overall fertility levels all improved significantly for those who took high doses of astaxanthin.

When should I take astaxanthin?

Short answer: Astaxanthin is best taken with a meal, at any time of day, preferably including fatty foods (fish, meat, eggs, dairy, avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds).

There is no particular time of day that seems bet suited for taking astaxanthin, however as it is a fat-soluble, it should be taken together with a meal that contains dietary fat, in order to maximize absorption.

What does astaxanthin combine well with?

Short answer: Astaxanthin has been shown to work well together with berberine, beta-carotene, omega-3, red yeast rice extract, resveratrol, saw palmetto extract, ubiquinol, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, vitamin C and vitamin D.

Astaxanthin with vitamin C, for antioxidant activity

Astaxanthin's antioxidant properties have been shown to be enhanced even further when combined with vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant, so that is a great combination to consider if you are interested in combatting oxidative stress.

Astaxanthin with omega-3, for antioxidant activity

Similarly, astaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids, while already potent antioxidants by themselves, have demonstrated synergistic antioxidant effects when combined.

Astaxanthin with resveratrol & beta-carotene, for muscle growth

One animal study involved the combination of astaxanthin, resveratrol, and beta-carotene, another carotenoid, and found that the three combined helped to increase protein synthesis and support healthy muscle growth.

Astaxanthin with ubiquinol, vitamin D & vitamin B12, for muscle health

It has also been proposed that a supplementation of astaxanthin together with ubiquinol, vitamin D and vitamin B12 could significantly improve physical performance, endurance and overall muscle health.

Astaxanthin with ubiquinol, berberine, red yeast rice & folic acid, for blood sugar levels

Regarding astaxanthin's benefits on cardiovascular health, it has also been found that a combination of astaxanthin, ubiquinol, red yeast rice extract and vitamin B9 (folic acid), together with berberine and policosanols, resulted in a significant improvement to blood sugar markers.

Astaxanthin with saw palmetto extract, for testosterone levels

In terms of reproductive health, one study showed how astaxanthin was able to increase testosterone, and potentially improve libido, when combined with saw palmetto extract.

What are natural sources of astaxanthin?

If you are interested in achieving your daily astaxanthin intake through your diet, rich sources of astaxanthin include:

Salmon
Arctic shrimp
Crab
Crawfish
Lobster
Red snapper

Astaxanthin data sources & further reading

Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025