Astaxanthin Bypasses Blood-Brain Barrier to Deliver Antioxidants to the Brain

Astaxanthin-Super Sea Algae

Algae is normally green unless it is subjected to stressors like UV light from the sun. It produces astaxanthin, a member of the deeply pigmented carotenoid family, like lutein and lycopene, to protect itself from environmental challenges. It is this compound that makes salmon, shrimp or lobster pink in color. Astaxanthin works in a similar way to protect human skin from environmental damage by building up under the skin as a protective shield.

Clinical studies show that astaxanthin may be effective therapy for cardiovascular health, an anti-inflammatory and an immune system builder. It is truly a super-antioxidant because it is 100-500 times stronger than vitamin E, and actually assists the action of vitamin E and C in their antioxidant activity.

Astaxanthin occurs naturally in several of our commonly eaten foods, perhaps most importantly in salmon. Astaxanthin levels in the flesh of farm-raised Atlantic salmon range from about 4 to 10 mg/kg, whereas levels in wild Pacific salmon can be much higher with a recent FDA study reporting an average of about 14 mg/kg in coho salmon and about 40 mg/kg in sockeye salmon (Turujman et al. 1997). Thus, a reasonable serving portion of 4 ounces (one-fourth of a pound, 113.4 g) of farmed Atlantic salmon would contain from 0.5 to 1.1 mg of astaxanthin, whereas the same amount of wild-caught sockeye salmon would contain 4.5 mg of astaxanthin.

Unique aspects of the astaxanthin structure appear to allow it to pass the " blood brain barrier ", meaning it can deliver antioxidant activity benefits directly to the brain, eyes and nervous system.

Significant research and discoveries on the possible roles of antioxidants in our health, in the aging process, and on specific diseases, have been made in the recent years and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. As astaxanthin is one of the most potent and bio-active biological antioxidants found in nature, this abundance of research on antioxidants suggests a number of potential roles of astaxanthin for human health. Additional benefits could also result from astaxanthin properties other than its well-known antioxidant power.

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