Astaxanthin - The Miracle Nutrient       

  Astaxanthin is a carotenoid. It is classified as a xanthophyll, which means “yellow leaves”. Like many carotenoids, it is a colorful, lipid-soluble pigment. Astaxanthin is found in microalgae, yeast, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, crustaceans, and the feathers of some birds, example-flamingo’s are born white but Astaxanthin makes them pink. 

       Astaxanthin is one of those most potent anti-inflammatories that we know of, and a recommended dose is 8mg Astaxanthin a day. Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant, more potent than vitamin E and vitamin C. Astaxanthin’s benefits eye health. It may be the ultimate carotenoid for eye health and prevention of blindness.   Ataxanthin supplementation could be effective in preventing or treating a whole host of eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic neuropathy, cystoid macular edema, central retinal arterial, venous occlusion, and glaucoma.

      Astaxanthin, unlike some carotenoids, is not converted to vitamin A (retinol) in the human body. Too much vitamin A is toxic for a human, but astaxanthin has lower toxicity. It is an antioxidant with a slightly lower antioxidant activity than other carotenoids.

Ways astaxanthin can positively impact your health, according to the latest research:

• Boosting immune function
• Improving cardiovascular health by reducing C-Reactive Proteins (CRP), reducing triglycerides, and increasing beneficial HDL
• Astaxanthin protects your eyes from cataracts, macular degeneration, and blindness
• Astaxanthin protects your brain from dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Astaxanthin reduces your risk for many types of cancer (including cancers of the breast, colon, bladder and mouth) by stimulating apoptosis (cancer cell death) and inhibiting lipid peroxidation
• Improving recovery from spinal cord and other central nervous system injuries
• Astaxanthin reduces inflammation from all causes, including arthritis and asthma
• Improving endurance, workout performance and recovery
• Astaxanthin helps to stabilize blood sugar, thereby protecting your kidneys
• Relieving indigestion and reflux
• Improving fertility by increasing sperm strength and sperm count
• Actually helping to prevent sunburn, and protecting you from the damaging effects of radiation (i.e., flying in airplanes, x-rays, CT scans, etc.)
• Reducing oxidative damage to your DNA
• Astaxanthin reduces symptoms from pancreatitis, multiple sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and Lou Gehrig’s disease, and neurodegenerative diseases

     Dr. Mark Tso of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University (considered by most professionals to be the most prestigious ophthalmology training center in the world) has clearly demonstrated that astaxanthin is the clear winner when it comes to protecting your eyes. He discovered that astaxanthin easily crosses into the tissues of the eye and exerts its effects safely and with more potency than any of the other carotenoids, without adverse reactions.   Specifically, Tso determined astaxanthin could ameliorate or prevent light induced damage, photoreceptor cell damage, ganglion cell damage, and damage to the neurons of the inner retinal layers.   He concluded that astaxanthin supplementation could be effective in preventing or treating a whole host of eye diseases, including:

• Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD)
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Cystoid macular edema
• Central retinal arterial and venous occlusion
• Glaucoma
• Inflammatory eye diseases (i.e., retinitis, iritis, keratitis, scleritis, etc.)

  Other researchers (Shimidzu et al, Bagchi, Martin et al, and Beutner) have since confirmed Dr. Tso’s finding that astaxanthin is the most powerful antioxidant ever discovered for eye health, giving your eyes an additional layer of long-term protection.

       Astaxanthin Prevention of Cancer and Support for Your Immune System

  Besides being a huge discovery in the prevention of eye disease, astaxanthin is showing great promise in cancer prevention, at least in animal studies. Because astaxanthin is not commonly found in human serum, information on its epidemiology in human health is lacking.

  Astaxanthin may even improve your muscle endurance and enhance your ability to metabolize fat!

  Astaxanthin is different from other nutritional elements because it is far more effective than other carotenoids at singlet oxygen quenching, which reduces the damaging effects of sunlight and various organic; crosses the blood-brain barrier and the blood-retinal barrier (beta carotene and lycopene do not), which increases eye health; is soluble in lipids, so it incorporates into cell membranes; is a potent UVB absorber; and is not associated with any adverse reactions.

  Currently, the primary use for humans is as a food supplement. Research shows that due to astaxanthin’s potent antioxidant activity, it may be beneficial in cardiovascular, immune, inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases Some research has suggested potential as an anti-cancer agent. Research supports the assumption that it protects body tissues from oxidative damage.

  
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