Astaxanthin is a unique carotenoid that offers exceptional protection to the cell membrane from lipid peroxidation. It is 550 times more potent than Vitamin E in this role, and 40 times more potent than beta-carotene in quenching singlet oxygen free radicals. Studies have shown astaxanthin to be effective for the maintenance of ocular health
- Now 100% Vegetarian!
| NPN
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Product Code
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Size
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Per Vegi-gel
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Vegetarian
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| 80027295
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AOR04148
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60 Vegi-gels
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4 mg
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100% Vegetarian
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| Supplement Facts
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| Serving Size: 1 Softgel
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Amount Per Serving
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Haematococcus pluvialis extract
(4 mg Astaxanthin)
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40 mg
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Non-medicinal ingredients: extra virgin olive oil. Softgel: gelatin, glycerin, water.
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AOR guarantees that no ingredients not listed on the label have been added to the product. Contains no wheat, gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish or any animal byproduct.
Suggested Use
Take one to two softgels daily with food, or as directed by a qualified health care practitioner.
Main Applications
• Cardiovascular health.
• Antioxidant
• Normal ocular function.
Pregnancy/Nursing :
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use.
Cautions:
Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 3 months.
Antioxidant research is one of the pillars in the study of life
extension and general health. However, antioxidants have been defined
rather ambiguously, and there are literally thousands that have been
isolated - with more being discovered constantly. Therefore, asking what
makes a recently discovered antioxidant like astaxanthin so special is
not an unfair question. The fact of the matter is that there are some
antioxidants that have merited greater scientific interest than others.
These include R(+)-lipoic acid and full-spectrum Vitamin E, among
others. Not only have these antioxidants served us well (and will
continue to do so), they belong to an elite category distinguishing them
from other antioxidants due to their unique properties, mechanisms of
action, central importance and/or exceptional potency. So why does
astaxanthin merit admittance into this exclusive category?
Firstly, astaxanthin is a member of the xanthophyll subcategory of
carotenoids - organic pigments that occur mainly in plants. Astaxanthin
is found in abundance in marine environments, particularly among algae,
and the pink and red colour of salmon, shrimp and lobster is
attributable to the astaxanthin-rich diets of these animals. Astaxanthin
has a unique molecular structure: its polar end groups have the
distinct ability to attach themselves to both sides of the lipid bilayer
that contains the cell membrane.
From this entrenched position, astaxanthin inhibits the lipid
peroxidation of the cell membrane (which is the ‘gatekeeper of the
cell' -controlling what comes in and out), by extension protecting
the mitochondria and the rest of the cell from potentially damaging
peroxidation. Astaxanthin can also quench free radicals by adding them
to its structure rather than sacrificing an atom or electron, meaning
that unlike most antioxidants, astaxanthin is far less likely to become a
mild free radical in its own right after quenching one. This also
allows astaxanthin to be more biologically active, enabling it to trap
and quench more free radicals - and of a greater variety - than most
other antioxidants.
Astaxanthin's fat-solubility and low molecular weight (less than
600 daltons) allows it to effectively cross the blood-brain barrier to
alleviate oxidative stress in the eyes, brain and central nervous
system. Particular focus has been paid to astaxanthin's effect on
ocular health, with several Japanese studies examining its ability to
alleviate the symptoms of asthenopia (eye fatigue). This increasingly
common condition is often caused by overexposure to visual display
terminals (VDT's), and the aforementioned human studies revealed
that astaxanthin (at 5mg per day for one month) can alleviate asthenopia
symptoms by 54%. Scientists believe the mechanism of action for these
benefits is based on the increased ciliary body accommodation, increased
retinal blood flow, and anti-inflammatory properties associated with
astaxanthin supplementation. The ciliary body is composed primarily of
an ocular muscle that stretches across the vitrous humour between the
lens and the pupil. Accomodation refers to the ability of the ciliary
body to manipulate the thickness of the lens in order to focus light on
the retina. If the eye is required to focus on a fixed object for
extended periods of time, muscle spasms and other signs of fatigue may
occur. Factors such as the speed at which the ciliary body reacts to a
change in visual focus are used to evaluate improvements (if any) in the
accommodation response. Two studies conducted in 2005 determined that
the speed of the ciliary body's reactions in the astaxanthin group
were approximately 46% faster than those in the placebo group. This
means that those taking astaxanthin were able to spot moving objects
that much faster than those who were not. Furthermore, another
placebo-controlled study determined that astaxanthin can increase
retinal blood flow by approximately 11% (nourishing ciliary muscles)
while yet another study (with laboratory rats) found that astaxanthin
can reduce ciliary cell inflammation by nearly 80%.
Astaxanthin has also been studied for its efficacy in addressing the
conditions imposed by type II diabetes. Studies have demonstrated that
astaxanthin was capable of reducing blood glucose levels by nearly 40%
in laboratory mice administered with an Intraperitoneal Glucose
Tolerance Test (IPGTT), as well as preserving pancreatic beta-cells from
oxidative damage and increasing insulin sensitivity. A later study,
also among laboratory mice, revealed that astaxanthin can aid in the
prevention of diabetic nephropathy as measured through the inhibition of
urinary albumin loss and DNA damage - by 67% and 50% respectively.
Astaxanthin has also been studied for its effect on dyspepsia
(digestive problems in the upper abdominal region). An Australian study
in 1999 among ten patients with non-ulcerous dyspepsia resulted in
astaxanthin supplementation (at 40 mg daily for 21 days) reducing
gastric pain, heartburn and total clinical symptoms by 66%, 78%, and 52%
respectively. A much larger randomized, placebo-controlled,
double-blind study conducted among 131 patients in Lithuania, Denmark
and Sweden produced similar results along a dose-dependent basis.
Astaxanthin's anti-oxidant effects are also beneficial in skin
treatments. Studies have shown that oral supplementation with
astaxanthin reduces skin dryness and fine lines while improving moisture
content and elasticity.
Finally, astaxanthin has been examined for its sports-nutrition
applications, particularly with respect to endurance athletes. In 1998, a
six-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among
healthy Swedish men found that supplementation with 4mg of astaxanthin
daily increased the number of knee bends these men were able to perform
by approximately 45%. A 2002 study among Japanese track athletes found
that at a dose of 6 mg daily for 1 month, lactic acid buildup following a
1,200-metre run was reduced by nearly 29%.
In conclusion, astaxanthin exerts all of the aforementioned benefits
through the fundamental premise of protecting the cell membrane from
lipid peroxidation, and in this role it is 550 times more effective than
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol). It is also 40 times more potent than
beta-carotene in quenching singlet oxygen free radicals, and has been
shown to have synergistic effects with lycopene, lipoic acid,
resveratrol, ascorbic acid, ginseng, garlic, gingko biloba and
tocotrienols, among others. Astaxanthin is clearly an antioxidant whose
time has come.
Natural Astaxanthin: King of the Carotenoids
Study of Astaxanthin compared to other antioxidants
Graph of Astaxanthin compared to more common antioxidants
Astaxanthin is a unique carotenoid that offers exceptional protection to the cell membrane from lipid peroxidation. It is 550 times more potent than Vitamin E in this role, and 40 times more potent than beta-carotene in quenching singlet oxygen free radic
AOR Supplements & Vitamins
SKU Number: AOR04148
On Sale - AOR Supplements
UPC 0062491704148