I’ve been using astaxanthin for about eight years to protect against sunburn.
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid that is in the same family of molecules as beta-carotene, which makes carrots orange. It is produced naturally in the freshwater microalgae and has a blood-red color. These red microalgae are eaten by salmon, shrimp, crab, and lobster and are responsible for the red color of their skin.
And it is this mechanism of the red astaxanthin traveling to the epidermal layer of the skin that provides protection against UV rays. While the precise mechanism is not known, this paper highlights a clinical trial showing a benefit from astaxanthin on subjects who had their skin irradiated and then took astaxanthin for nine weeks.
In this recent blog article, we highlighted how collagen helps with skin aging. Astaxanthin is another supplement to consider for those who want the best skin as they age. Since we don't sell it, I can say that astaxanthin is protective against age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancers, cardiovascular disorders, eye disorders, and liver diseases, as discussed in this article.
The main reason I like astaxanthin is that it creates another important layer of protection against the sun. If you’re like me, you’re very faithful in applying the first layer of sunscreen, however, the second layer 60-90 minutes later often gets pushed to 120 minutes.
So, this summer, keep applying mineral-based, natural sunscreen. Keep using your sun hats and sun shirts. But also try out astaxanthin. This is the brand I use off Amazon.
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