Astaxanthin
July 27, 2023 – I am now taking 12 mg Astaxantin daily.
Astaxanthin: A Potential Mitochondrial-Targeted Antioxidant Treatment in Diseases and with Aging. Several mitochondrial defects have been considered to contribute to the development of oxidative stress and known as the major mediators of the aging process and subsequent age-associated diseases. Thus, mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants should prevent or slow down these processes and prolong longevity. This is the reason why antioxidant treatments are extensively studied and newer and newer compounds with such an effect appear. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, is the most abundant carotenoid in marine organisms and is one of the most powerful natural compounds with remarkable antioxidant activity. Here, we summarize its antioxidant targets, effects, and benefits in diseases and with aging.
From WebMD: Astaxanthin is a reddish pigment that belongs to a group of chemicals called carotenoids. It occurs naturally in certain algae and causes the pink or red color in salmon, trout, lobster, shrimp, and other seafood. It is taken by mouth for treating Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, high cholesterol, liver diseases, age-related macular degeneration (age-related vision loss), and preventing cancer. It is also used for metabolic syndrome, which is a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It is also used for improving exercise performance, decreasing muscle damage after exercise, and decreasing muscle soreness after exercise. Also, astaxanthin is taken by mouth to prevent sunburn, to improve sleep, and for carpal tunnel syndrome, dyspepsia, male infertility, symptoms of menopause, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Although this study was done for C. Elegans, I think that it will likely
also apply to humans.
Rejuvenation Research Ahead of Print
Autophagy Plays a Role in the Prolongation of the Life Span of
Caenorhabditis elegans by Astaxanthin
Min Fu, Xumei Zhang, Xuguang Zhang, Liu Yang, Suhui Luo, and Huan Liu
Published Online:30 Nov 2020 https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2020.2355
Abstract
Astaxanthin (AST), a xanthophyll belonging to the family of carotenoids,
is a potent antioxidant. The effect of AST on longevity and its
physiological and molecular mechanism are still unclear. In this study,
we proved that AST could prolong the life span of Caenorhabditis
elegans. To uncover whether AST could delay aging by upregulating
autophagy, we measured the expression of autophagy gene and the life
span of autophagy gene bec-1 mutant nematodes, and the results showed
that the expression of autophagy gene was upregulated after AST
intervention and the disruption of bec-1 weakened the extension of the
life span. To explore the molecular mechanism of AST-induced autophagy
upregulation, we knocked out the daf-16 or hlh-30 (key genes of
insulin/insulin growth factor-1 [IGF-1] signal pathway or target of
rapamycin [TOR] signal pathway) by RNA interference, and the expression
of autophagy gene lgg-1 decreased. Collectively, our results strongly
suggest that autophagy, which is both the insulin/IGF-1 signal pathway
dependent and TOR signal pathway dependent, plays a role in the
prolongation of the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans by AST.
