Many skincare products often promise youthful vitality or youthful appearance with continued use, but not all of them can deliver. Some products make a lot of questionable claims, but the potent substance astaxanthin has stood up to rigorous testing.
Astaxanthin also shows a lot of promise in reducing the signs of skin aging and helping your skin attain a healthy vibrancy. Astaxanthin is a keto-carotenoid and a unique red pigment. It has several applications, including as a food dye and natural health supplement.
The keto-carotenoid also provides the pigment for certain algae and gives salmon its reddish-pink color.
Astaxanthin health benefits
Astaxanthin is also known for its potent antioxidant properties and has been found to be good for your heart health. In a 2006 animal study, results suggest that astaxanthin helped improve elastin levels and arterial wall thickness in rat subjects with hypertension (high blood pressure).
Other studies have also revealed that astaxanthin increases blood flow and may reduce the risk of certain cancers. The keto-carotenoid also helped reduce oxidative stress in overweight people and smokers and helped ease joint pain.
Astaxanthin and skin health
The benefits of astaxanthin for skin health are also well-documented. The keto-carotenoid is often credited with improving the texture and appearance of the skin and acting as an anti-aging agent.
With regular use, astaxanthin can also give your skin a more youthful look.
According to research, astaxanthin may help delay signs of skin aging and improve the appearance and texture of the skin. It can also help increase skin elasticity and enhance its moisture content.
Using astaxanthin was also found to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and the production of sebum oil because of its high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands, which sit in the middle layers of your skin, near the hair follicles. The oil helps moisturize and protect the skin, but an overproduction of sebum can cause oily skin.
If you have oily skin, you may notice that your pores look larger and that your skin looks greasy or shiny. Excess sebum and dead skin cells can form a plug inside the pore, which then causes blackheads and pimples.
This plug also traps bacteria in the pore, which can cause inflammation. Eventually, the blocked pore ruptures, which then spills bacteria, sebum and dead skin cells into nearby tissue. This causes acne lesions that may be painful.
Thankfully, astaxanthin can help improve the integrity of the skin barrier to make it healthier and younger-looking.
Research has also been conducted to examine the other benefits of astaxanthin. In one report, scientists reviewed several studies and analyzed all the data to confirm the claims’ validity.
Results showed that astaxanthin is very effective in helping improve skin conditions. The keto-carotenoid also helped improve the skin’s surface and the lower layers.
A handful of studies seemed to have better results with supplements than a topical application, but at least one study had great success with the tandem use of both topical and oral supplements.
Incorporating astaxanthin into a healthy skin regimen
You can buy astaxanthin as an oral supplement or as a topical cream. While both of these methods were successful in some studies, oral supplements tested slightly better.
However, the best way to get most of your nutrients is through your diet. The fatty fish salmon is one of the best sources of astaxanthin. Note that sockeye salmon contains up to 38 mg of astaxanthin while Atlantic salmon only has around eight mg.
Other sources of astaxanthin include seafood such as:
- Crab
- Crawfish
- Lobster
- Red sea bream
- Red trout
- Salmon roe
- Shrimp
Research suggests that you can reap the amazing benefits of astaxanthin by consuming about 3.6 mg a day. You can do this by eating six ounces of wild sockeye salmon throughout the day, so eat more astaxanthin-rich foods for healthier, younger-looking skin.
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