There are a ton of topical sunscreen lotions and sprays for our skin. But what about protecting your skin from the inside out? From my previous article “The Dark and Bright Side of Sunscreen” I gave a little insight into my history with working and playing in the sun. I work extensively on my farm and am out in the sun a lot, and I mean A LOT! My job description is black-belt gardener, as I would rather be outside gardening than be in a mall as a black-belt shopper. There’s really not much extra time to be a girly-girl and too fussy, as I am digging in dirt and sweaty most everyday. My shoe collection is minimal and utilitarian and would horrify Imelda Marcos, if she were alive today. (Side note: Imelda Marcos served as First Lady in the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. She was even more famous for her collection of over a thousand pairs of shoes! “I did not have three thousand pairs of shoes, I had one thousand and sixty.” -Imelda Marcos)   

Getting back on topic – in a word – Astaxanthin (pronounced “asta-ZAN-thin”). Yes, it’s sunscreen in a capsule and I take one 12mg capsule every day for well over a year. The brand I use is BioAstin – Hawaiian Astaxanthin. I had been taking astaxanthin for a while when I heard 2 local natural health professionals tout the incredible benefits of this astonishing supplement. I know, I know, most any infomercial you hear today shouts from the roof tops about the latest and greatest miracle supplement. especially one that is contained in a capsule.

But what is Astaxanthin you ask? The answer is, it’s really a super-nutrient, really!

Natural astaxanthin is produced only by the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. It’s the algae’s survival mechanism—astaxanthin serves as a “force field” to protect the algae from lack of nutrition and/or intense sunlight.

There are only two main sources of natural astaxanthin—the microalgae that produce it, and the sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish, and krill).

Synthetic (laboratory-made) astaxanthin is now commonly used worldwide to supplement fish feeds in order to obtain the desired pinkish to orange-red color. Please avoid the synthetic astaxanthin because it’s made from petrochemicals.

Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful and most studied carotenoids.  It is found in very high amounts in the muscles of salmon (it is the carotenoid that gives salmon its bright red color) and is said to be responsible for the endurance they need to swim upstream.

Unlike many antioxidants, astaxanthin does not turn pro-oxidant (harmful to the body) at any point in the digestive process.

Astaxanthin really got my attention initally for the first 3 reasons: Supports eye, skin and joint health. And it has other benefits as well. But I really wanted to address those 3 key areas for myself and I don’t eat salmon, shellfish or any kind of seafood, so this seemed ideal for my situation.

1.  Eye Support: I’m near sighted and also concerned about the UV from the sun. Astaxanthin is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier and is documented to deposit in the retina. Retinal photoreceptors supplemented with astaxanthin sustain less damage from UV-light. It has the unique ability to cross the blood-barrier and reach your retina. Clinical trials have shown that astaxanthin helps diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, eye strain/fatigue and seeing in fine detail.
2. Helps Relieve Pain and Inflammation: Yes, inflammation is a biggy for most people and myself included. Inflammation negatively affects most everything in our body. As an antioxidant, it has the ability to help reduce inflammation. Astaxanthin reduces inflammatory compounds that drive many chronic diseases. Even though it’s 100 percent natural, astaxanthin works like some prescription analgesics, but without risks of addiction, heartburn or stomach irritation.
3.  Beautiful Skin and Sun Protection: The other day a friend who I hadn’t seen for several months told me that I looked younger! And what girl doesn’t want to hear that? I attribute alot of that more youthful look in taking astaxanthin. Astaxanthin has been shown to protect the body’s largest organ (our skin) and shows excellent results for helping with skin moisture levels, elasticity, smoothness, fine wrinkles, spots and freckles.
4. Astaxanthin Cleanses Our Cells: Astaxanthin is in a class of its own when it comes to antioxidant benefits, because it filters into every cell of the body. A 2007 study found astaxanthin was 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C, 800 times stronger than CoQ10, 550 times stronger than green tea catechins and 75 times stronger than alpha lipoic acid.
5. Fatique Fighter: Pure and natural astaxanthin aids in the recovery of muscles, enhanced strength, better endurance and improved energy levels.

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