Astaxanthin Promotes Heart Health
A growing body of scientific evidence supports that astaxanthin can benefit the heart health , including reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving lipid profiles, and promoting better blood flow.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. The coexistence of dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypertension with accumulated visceral fat has been termed metabolic syndrome, which increases synergistically the risk of CVD.
Astaxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid of mainly marine origin with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and its unique chemical properties make it an ideal ingredient for heart health supplements. A growing amount of scientific evidence supports that astaxanthin can benefit the heart health , including reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving lipid profiles, and promoting better blood flow.
Heart-Protective Mechanisms of Astaxanthin
Most CVDs, such as myocardial infarction, localized cerebral ischemia and peripheral vascular disease are secondary to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis begins with the damage and subsequent impairment of the functional integrity of the vascular endothelium. Contributing events have been identified, such as high glucose levels, mechanical stress, infections of the vessel wall and smoking. Upon exposure to the stimuli, endothelial cells of the vessel wall become dysfunctional, resulting in increased release of pro-inflammatory mediators and elevated production of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS). Astaxanthin mainly benefits the heart health in the following ways [1].
The increased susceptibility of membrane lipids and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidation may trigger the formation of thrombi and the development of atherosclerosis. Astaxanthin shows superior antioxidant activity compared to other dietary antioxidants. Astaxanthin scavenges reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and other reactive species (sulfur and carbon) directly, both by donating electrons and by bonding with the free radical to form a non-reactive product. Besides, astaxanthin prolonged LDL oxidation in a dose-dependent manner, in addition to being more effective compared with lutein and α-tocopherol. Antioxidative mechanism of astaxanthin in cardiovascular diseases is as follow [2].
Fig. 1 Scheme of the antioxidant mechanism of action of astaxanthin in cardiovascular diseases
- Anti-inflammatory activity
Inflammation plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and other comorbidities, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and obesity. In addition to its antioxidant action, astaxanthin has anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to regulate lipid and glucose metabolism, which is beneficial to the cardiovascular system and can prevent diseases such as atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia. Anti-inflammatory mechanism of astaxanthin in cardiovascular diseases is as follow [2].
Fig. 2 Scheme of the anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of astaxanthin in cardiovascular diseases
NF-κB, nuclear factor-κB; MMP, matrix metallopeptidase; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase
Based on preclinical and clinical evidence, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of astaxanthin appear to delay the progression of cardiovascular diseases.
Alfa Chemistry is a professional supplier of high-grade natural astaxanthin products which can benefit heart health. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
References
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Visioli, F., & Artaria, C. Astaxanthin in cardiovascular health and disease: mechanisms of action, therapeutic merits, and knowledge gaps. Food & Function, 2017, 8(1), 39–63.
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Kilyos Assessoria, Cursos e Palestras, São Paulo. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action of astaxanthin in cardiovascular diseases (Review). International Journal of Molecular medicine, 2021, 47: 37-48.
