Another powerful antioxidant made available to us by nature is astaxanthin, a naturally occurring red pigment found in numerous living organisms. The main source is of plant origin, as it is exclusively synthesised by the single-celled microalga Haematococcus pluvialis as a photoprotective substance for its own cells and spores. It is a carotenoid belonging to the class of xanthophylls, responsible for the characteristic colouration of some fish, including salmon and crustaceans. These animals are unable to produce this pigment and introduce it through their diet via zooplacton, which in turn accumulates it from the microalgae. Another source of natural production uses the fermentation of the yeast xathophyllomyces dendrorhous or the extraction of the pigment from crustacean by-products such as the ever-popular Antarctic 'Krill', but the richest source of Astaxanthin, which accumulates it in lipid vesicles precisely for the purpose of protection against UV-generated free radicals during sun exposure, remains the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis.

In salmon, for example, Astaxanthin protects the fish, whose fat is rich in easily oxidisable Omega-3s, precisely from oxidative stress damage. Without this protection, the salmon would not be able to withstand the massive oxidative attack that occurs during the upstream movement necessary for reproduction. This is the same oxidative stress that is generated in those who exercise.

There are elements in nature which, thanks to their particular molecular structure, have been shown to be dozens (if not hundreds) of times more powerful than many other better-known antioxidants, and one of these is Astaxanthin, nature's absolute antioxidant powerhouse.

Astaxanthin, as numerous scientific studies have now established, is one of the best known antioxidants to date. Its benefits for our body expand in so many ways. As an antioxidant, it is 500 times more effective than vitamin E, 800 times more powerful than coenzyme Q10 and 6000 times more powerful than common Vitamin C.

It should be noted that synthetic astaxanthin is not as effective as astaxanthin from natural sources and can also cause some discomfort. In fact, the natural astaxanthin we have chosen for our product is AstaZine® Natural Astaxanthin (from the AstaZine® Group), obtained from algae, as well as not containing iodine, has no particular contraindications while that obtained from crustaceans, e.g. krill, may give some reactions to those who are sensitive to crustaceans.

AstaZine® Natural Astaxanthin, is the most researched and certified version of Astaxanthin in the world, using the best microalgae culture, extraction and purification process. In its favour, AstaZine® has 50 studies on humans included, 23 double-blinded, with more than 1400 participants lasting from 2 weeks to 6 months, where its efficacy, safety and excellent tolerability, with no noteworthy side effects, have been declared.