What is an antioxidant?

Antioxidants are substances that neutralizes harmful free radicals such as oxygen radicals and non-radical oxygen containing molecules (ROS). Why are free radicals so bad? Think of them like vampires, but instead of blood, they need electrons to survive. One free radical will take an electron from a healthy molecule, which then turns it into a free radical. This is called oxidative stress. Scientists widely regard oxidative stress to be an underlying theme which exacerbate many health problems.

What creates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)?

All aerobic life depends on oxygen to survive. In humans, ROS is produced by the body as a by-product of breathing and oxygen metabolism. ROS is generated at a higher rate particularly during physical activity. However, certain environmental triggers can also create an increse in ROS production such as pollution, stress, fatty foods and even sunlight. 

Where does Astaxanthin come from?

Natural astaxantin is found all over the world, from African lakes to Arctic snowfields. The basic natural source comes from a remarkable microalgae - Haematococcus pluvialis. Predators feed on the Haematococcus and in turn predators feed on those predators. Astaxanthin accumulates further up the food chain and we see the accumulation as red to orange hues in salmon flesh, cooked lobster, shrimp and many more marine animals.

How does Astaxanthin compare to other antioxidants?

All antioxidants have the same action - neutralizing harmful ROS by quenching or scavenging action. The potency determined by in-vitro tests can indicate the antioxidant capacity. When compared properly, antioxidant potency can vary tremendously.

For example: Astaxanthin Singlet oxygen quenching activity in a lipid and water soluble system (Nishida et al., 2007)

 

6000 times stronger than Vitamin C 

3000 times stronger than resveratrol and quercitin

800 times stronger than CoQ10

560 times stronger than epigallocatechin-gallate

75 times stronger than alpha-lipoic acid

 

 

How does Astaxanthin work?

Astaxanthin is a lipid soluble carotenoid antioxidant. Upon ingestion astaxanthin can be found in all organs of the body. At the cellular level astaxanthin accumulates in the membranes of cells and in the membranes of mitochondria and many others. Astaxanthin has a unique structure that enables the molecule to span the double layer membrane and consequently, exposes itself both to the interior as well as the exterior of the cell. By localizing itself in the membranes, astaxanthin protects membrane components like proteins and unsaturated fatty acids from ROS mediated oxidation. Furthermore, this high antioxidant capacity can inhibit the activation of the proinflammatory response via the NF-kB dependent pathway.

How do I measure astaxanthin?

We recommend our HPLC and spectrophotometric methods. If you work with powder save a copy of the AstaREAL P2AF procedure. If you work with oils save a copy of the AstaREAL L10 method. Contact us if you have additional questions.

P2AF (Powder Type) (PDF)
L10 (Oil Type) (PDF)