Studies indicate that astaxanthin could be beneficial for hearth health by reducing inflammation, preventing oxidation of cholesterol and by modifying blood levels of cholesterol. Oxidative stress and inflammation, mainly caused reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, are implicated in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. These oxidants regulate transcriptional messengers, such as nuclear factor-kappaB, which influence endothelial dysfunction.
Fassett en Coombes wrote in an article featuring in Future Cardiology that many animal studies using a model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion have demonstrated protective effects of astaxanthin [1]. Many studies on humans have demonstrated the safety of astaxanthin. The authors claim that more clinical studies are required to determine the efficacy of astaxanthin on vascular structure, function, oxidative stress and inflammation.
A study conducted at the Washington State University evaluated the use of dietary astaxanthin to decrease oxidative stress and improve cardiac function [2]. They fed mice with a diet containing different levels of astaxanthin for 8 weeks and found that mice fed with 0.08% astaxanthin had higher heart mitochondrial membrane potential and contractility index compared to the control group. They concluded that astaxanthin could possibly be used as a dietary supplement for cardiac protection. Monroy-Ruiz and co-workers at the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico, explored the effects of astaxanthin on blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy, vascular structure and function and superoxide production in spontaneously hypertensive rats [3]. The scientists found that astaxanthin reduced systolic blood pressure left ventricular hypertrophy index were significantly reduced. Astaxanthin also improved endothelial function on resistance arteries, decreased oxidative stress and improvemed NO bioavailability. They concluded that astaxanthin supplementation has beneficial effects on hypertension.
Yoshida H and coworkes at Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, Japan, found that astaxanthin intake by non-obese humans ameliorated triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol and increased adiponectin [4]. Subjects consuming daily 12 or18 mg astaxanthin showed lower triglyceride and increased HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol).
[1] Astaxanthin, oxidative stress, inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Future Cardiol. 2009 Jul;5(4):333-42.
[2] Effect of astaxanthin supplementation on inflammation and cardiac function in BALB/c mice. Anticancer Res. 2010 Jul;30(7):2721-5.
[3] Astaxanthin-enriched-diet reduces blood pressure and improves cardiovascular parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Pharmacol Res. 2010 Sep 22.
[4] Administration of natural astaxanthin increases serum HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin in subjects with mild hyperlipidemia. Atherosclerosis. 2010 Apr;209(2):520-3.
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