A powerful antioxidant

Effective protection for cells
Astaxanthin is an especially powerful antioxidant. Its structure makes it uniquely effective in protecting cell membranes, which is crucial for preventing cellular damage. Astaxanthin has been found to be a stronger antioxidant with better biological activity than many other well known antioxidants including vitamin E and beta- carotene.

Eyes, skin and other benefits
Astaxanthin's antioxidant effects are beneficial for eye, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health. Since it can cross the blood-brain barrier, it relieves oxidative stress in the eyes, brain and CNS. It has been found to improve visual function and alleviate eye fatigue. It has also been found to lower blood glucose levels. Astaxanthin is important for healthy skin, as it helps to reduce dryness and improves elasticity. In the gastrointestinal system, it has been found to improve digestion and reduce gastric pain and heartburn. Athletes can benefit from astaxanthin's ability to improve endurance.

Overall protection
Astaxanthin is an antioxidant with an impressive range of protective effects, showing a number of health benefits from the eyes to the gastrointestinal system. Astaxanthin Ultra delivers an effective dose to deliver the full effects of this powerful nutrient.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid - an organic pigment that occurs mainly in plants. 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 damage to the cell membrane (which is the 'gatekeeper of the cell' -controlling what comes in and out), by extension protecting the rest of the cell. 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 trap and quench more free radicals - and of a greater variety - than most other antioxidants.

Eye Health
Several studies have focused on astaxanthin's effect on ocular health, particularly eye fatigue. Scientists believe the mechanism of action for these benefits is based on increased retinal blood flow, anti-inflammatory properties, and increased ciliary body accommodation associated with astaxanthin supplementation. Ciliary body accommodation refers to the action of an ocular muscle that focuses 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. Studies have found that astaxanthin increases the speed of the ciliary body's reactions. This means that those taking astaxanthin were able to spot moving objects that much faster than those who were not.

Diabetes
Astaxanthin has also been studied for its efficacy in addressing the conditions of type II diabetes. Studies have demonstrated that astaxanthin was capable of reducing blood glucose levels by nearly 40% in laboratory mice, 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.

Gastrointestinal Health
Astaxanthin has also been studied for its effect on dyspepsia (digestive problems in the upper abdominal region). Astaxanthin was shown to be beneficial for patients with non-ulcerous dyspepsia, reducing gastric pain, heartburn and total clinical symptoms by 66%, 78%, and 52% respectively.

Skin Health
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. Supplementation with astaxanthin increased the number of knee bends that healthy men were able to perform by approximately 45%. In track athletes, it reduced lactic acid buildup following a 1,200-metre run by nearly 29%.

An Impressive Antioxidant
Astaxanthin exerts its 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.

• Supports the structure of cell membranes
• Supports eye health
• Improves skin health
• Reduces blood glucose levels