The main direction health gurus look towards to increase well being is natural supplementation. The ingredients often give an extra edge to those looking to push themselves into the world of fitness, without venturing towards steroids.
Astaxanthin is one ingredient that is often considered by those who want to make a change in their lives.
The reddish pigment found in seafood such as trout and lobster has quickly become popular for those interested in getting the most out of their bodies in the best, natural way.
Why? Astaxanthin is a very powerful antioxidant which can improve all areas of your fitness journey.
It can improve recovery times, reduce inflammation, improve endurance and muscle mass and even help with those looking to lose fat.
Here are six astaxanthin benefits for people who want to live a healthy life.
- Â Â Astaxanthin speeds up muscle recovery after a workout session
Vigorous exercise often leads to an increase in physiological stressors such as muscle damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Many people take note of this and have adequate rest and recovery periods, however, those who continue to push themselves can suffer from a lack of improvement in performance.
A buildup of lactic acid caused by heavy exercise can be quite a burden on the body, however, but astaxanthin can really help with that.
Astaxanthin also helps with body recovery after a workout session through its antioxidant properties. The ingredient is known to protect the body’s cell membranes against free radicals which are produced during strenuous exercise. This enables the cells to function optimally to speed up muscle recovery and reduce the risk of injury.
Astaxanthin is also fat-soluble which allows all benefits of the ingredient to be delivered straight to the muscle cells.
Those taking the ingredient regularly can expect an improvement in metabolism during exercise, better respiratory–circulatory ability and an improved antioxidant profile.
The ingredient has also been shown to decrease cholesterol and increase creatine kinase, which is produced to aid damaged muscles in the body.
- Astaxanthin helps with body endurance
This miracle nutrient is the secret behind the success of salmon fish making their upstream swims. The highest amount of astaxanthin in the world is found in the muscles of this fish, which allows them to swim against the flow of high-speed rivers for days at a time.
When humans take the ingredient consistently over a long period of time, the same effect starts to take place. Over time, astaxanthin concentrates in the muscles which increase strength and endurance in humans.
Astaxanthin is known for improving endurance in athletes and slowing down the effects of fatigue by boosting mitochondria antioxidant defenses.
The ingredient can limit oxidative stress on the body which keeps muscles moving for longer.
Blood lactate levels are known to decrease when taking the ingredient, which indicates the body is moving with sufficient access to oxygen, delivered correctly to human tissues.
The treatment also decreases fat accumulation in the body as fatty acids are more likely to be used as an energy source to keep the body going.
- Astaxanthin reduces inflammation
Astaxanthin is great for relieving the body of discomfort caused by inflammation. It blocks inflammatory compounds in the body to maintain a balance of the internal systems.
The ingredient can handle a much bigger workload than the average antioxidant, too – it can manage many substances all at once by producing an electron cloud around the molecule.
The antioxidant remedies of this ingredient don’t stop there, those suffering from heartburn and indigestion can also see a reduction in symptoms by taking astaxanthin regularly.
- Improves symptoms of joint pain
Studies have shown that astaxanthin can help relieve symptoms of joint pain, including tendonitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
A higher dosage is often taken by those wanting to improve these conditions, usually around 12mg per day over a sustained period of time. This is known to increase strength and mobility in humans, allowing them to continue with sport and exercise as normal without the worry of creating further injury.
Those taking the ingredient who suffer from ‘tennis elbow’ have shown significant improvement in grip strength and have felt less pain in their hands.
- Astaxanthin Increases fat loss
As well as increasing your muscle strength and endurance to help gain a better and well-rounded physique, astaxanthin has also shown to help people lose weight.
This happens because the ingredient protects the system that transports fat into the mitochondria of muscle cells, where it is then burnt away to be used as fuel.
Protecting this system means the fat is transported around the body more efficiently to be burnt quicker. This will also benefit the body’s endurance by sparing muscle glycogen.
Blood triglyceride levels decrease through the use of the ingredient. High levels of triglycerides often raise the risk of coronary artery disease.
- Astaxanthin creates a healthy heart
The key to being a top athlete is a healthy heart which works exactly how it should.
Alongside the obvious ways astaxanthin helps through fat loss, it has also been known to help with high blood pressure and improve elastin levels and arterial wall thickness.
Astaxanthin can reduce nitrate plasma levels, suggesting the ingredient could modulate the oxidative condition of the body in those with high blood pressure.
What’s the best way to take astaxanthin to access these benefits? The ingredient should be taken in 4mg doses, twice daily with food.
If you’re looking to see the benefits of astaxanthin without hitting the deep end just yet, incorporate salmon into your diet once or twice a week and reap the benefits.
The ingredient can be found in many supplements, however, is proved to be most effective in its natural form.
Astaxanthin is, of course, not a replacement for a healthy diet or good fitness regime so will not work efficiently without a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to keep eating well and working out to get the best out of this powerful natural antioxidant.
This article comes from Digital Authority Partners, one of Chicago’s premier digital strategy agencies
