Skin Nutrition and Astaxanthin

Known as one of nature’s antioxidant, Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients in the world. Its health benefits range from improving tendon, joint and muscle pain, arthritis and tennis elbow to enhancing your skin. As a result, athletes have embraced this antioxidant as an essential part of their training regimen while cosmetic companies are also tripping over themselves to add antioxidant powerhouse to their skincare creams.

Astaxanthin is extracted from algae by exposing it to sunlight. Astaxanthin contains carotenoids such as carotene, canthaxanthin and lutein in its own natural oil that also contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids. These natural compounds are important nutrients and protective properties for the skin and for the whole body health. Astaxanthin's potency is correlated with its chemical structure.

Thought to be 500 times more powerful than vitamin E and nearly 6,000 times more potent than vitamin C, astaxanthin provides multiple skin benefits with regard to the sun and its damage. A super-antioxidant that's great for reducing inflammation, it acts as an intensive topical protector to preserve the skin so it doesn't age as quickly, while also helping to prevent sunburns and cancer.

One of the most frequently-reported benefits of astaxanthin is an improvement in skin quality. Unhealthy skin is dry, dull, discolored without its youthful glow. Astaxanthin is consumed as a supplement for skin benefits. Although this may not strike the consumer initially as a means of caring for the skin, it is the concept of beauty from within. Several clinical studies have clearly shown benefit for the skin in elasticity and subsequent reduction of fine wrinkles. There is evidence that astaxanthin not only prevents UV sun damage from occurring, but may actually help to reverse external signs of aging from the inside out. This has been clearly demonstrated in human clinical trials.

Many users of astaxanthin supplements report that they are able to spend significantly more time out in the sun without burning than they were able to before. This is due to the powerful anti-inflammatory properties that astaxanthin has. For this reason, several cosmetic manufacturers have begun to use astaxanthin as an ingredient in facial and body creams to provide UV protection and heal damaged skin.

Healthy, beautiful skin requires a sensible diet, topical treatments and daily supplements. You can utilize the potent cosmetic properties of the astaxanthin as part of the daily skincare treatment program. The cosmetic effects on the skin observed from the oral use of astaxanthin and the cosmetic effects of topical use of astaxanthin in clinical study have established astaxanthin as both a potent anti-aging cosmeceutical as well as a nutricosmeceutical ingredient. This antioxidant plays an important role in protection of cells because of its exceptional anti-inflammatory properties. New skin care products combine topical and oral ingredients.