Natural Remedies

As we face a world with modern medicine practices changing every day and advancing we seem to be getting sicker and sicker. Each time we feel ill we run to the doctor and get advice on how to cure ourselves and most likely are given a prescription to cure what ails us. We find ourselves in trouble because of pollution, environment contamination, and quality of food, bad diet and medicines that may not solve the problem, but put a band aid on it. We need to be able to help heal our own bodies naturally. The body is meant to heal itself and if we help make our bodies stronger and healthier we can solve our own problems without the help of modern medicine. The best way to fight is to do whatever it takes to keep your body healthy and when you feel something, look at natural remedies for a cure. One place to look is the supplement astaxanthin, which is helps boost the immune system.

Where Does Astaxanthin Come From

Astaxanthin comes from an algae that is commonly consumed by fish and crustaceans that provides their pink color. It occurs naturally in nature. Astaxanthin is a pigment and it will give the color in the organisms that take it. Many things in nature that have a pink or reddish tint to it, fruits and flowers, are provided their color by the absorption of astaxanthin. Fish, Birds and insects that eat foods that are rich in astaxanthin will also show coloring from the pigment. Plants, microalgae and bacteria produce astaxanthin naturally. Astaxanthin health benefits all come from nature.

Requirements and Dosage to Create Astaxanthin Health Benefits

Astaxanthin is not considered an essential nutrient but with safe doses it could show benefits. Salmon is a great source of astaxanthin and with a normal sized serving it will provide 4-5 mg. Lobster, shrimp, crabs, crawfish and other crustaceans are very high in astaxanthin. Astaxanthin health benefits come from doses ranging from 4-16mg daily. Some research is reporting that it is easier to absorb when it is consumed in an oily base.

Therapeutic Uses

Many claims of astaxanthin health benefits are based on the fact that it has shown to be a great antioxidant. Studies have also been reported that it could regulate inflammation, immune response and oxidative damage. Other studies have given astaxanthin combined with another carotenoid Lutein as a possible way for enhancing recovery from extreme exercise helping to reduce soreness or signs of any muscle injury. Researches have also tested men to see if there are any astaxanthin health benefits for the use in treating infertility. They were given 16 mg of astaxanthin daily for three month and the results showed possible increases. Additional studies claim that astaxanthin is also a way to reduce blood pressure, prevent heart disease, fight stomach ulcers, reduce macular degeneration, and also protect you from cataracts. At this point in time, none of these have been proven to be astaxanthin health benefit.

Safety Concerns

Astaxanthin is a widely used nutritional supplement and there may be some astaxanthin health benefits for you, but with anything that you put into your body there is a sign of caution. Follow dosage guidelines and ask a doctor before taking if you are pregnant or nursing to receive the full astaxanthin health benefits.

Betacarotine vs. Astaxanthin

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What is astaxanthin, exactly? Are you still confused about what is astaxanthin and how it can actually benefit human beings? Astaxanthin is also an anti-oxidant and is sometimes sold in tablet for (5mg or less) for those who would like to reap its benefits. Aside from its coloration benefits, Astaxanthin can also take the place of betacarotine or Vitamin A. Why is there a need to replace Vitamin A, you might ask. Too much Vitamin A content can be toxic to the human body. Vitamin A overdose can cause headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, peeling skin, hair loss and other complications. This is seldom experienced in Asthaxantin because of its milder chemical makeup. If someone asks you what is astaxanthin, you can also say that it’s a good food supplement alternative to retinol or Vitamin A.

Where Can You Find Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin occurs naturally in algae, salmon, krill oil, lobster, crabs, crawfish, and other fishes. Those who don’t eat seafood often may have a deficiency of this vitamin which is why a lot of people are taking Astaxanthin supplements now. The safest doses are actually 2mg soft gels. These are usually taken twice a day, after big meals, and are safe even for children.

What is Astaxanthin For?

Antioxidants are very important for the human body. Because of our current dietary habits, the amount of stress we get from work and the environment, and other complications which could be hereditary in nature, our body’s cells tend to break more easily. Sometimes, cancer cells are produced, and the cells which are supposed to be helping to fight these cancer cells aren’t strong enough to do their jobs. If someone asks you what is astaxanthin, you should tell them that it’s a supplement you take to prevent and fight off the risk of cancer. This supplement helps to keep your body stronger. It’s good to start on this supplement early if you have a history of cancer occurrence in your family. You might still want to ask your doctor about what is astaxanthin and how it can help your particular medical condition. You have to remember that some human bodies can’t have enough of Vitamin A because of current medical conditions. While astaxanthin is milder than retinol and Vitamin A, it still has similar effects. You want to look for a supplement that would improve your health, not worsen it.

Are There Risks in Taking Astaxanthin?

Researching about astaxanthin can lead you to pages where people claim that there is zero chance of overdosing on astaxanthin and there are virtually no Astaxanthin side effects when taking the supplements which contain this substance. While this could be a close answer to what is astaxanthin, it’s not exactly accurate. True, it’s mild enough to pass off as a harmless drug in pill-form, but anything in excess is always harmful to the body. While your research about astaxanthin might lead you to discovering that it’s a very mild substance which prevents cancer, you should still follow your physician’s recommended dosage. The general accepted dosage is 5mg or less a day. Anyway, you’ll be wasting your money with higher intakes of the substance. The difference in terms of its antioxidant benefits in the body isn’t significant enough.

Vitamin A Toxicity and Safe Astaxanthin Dosage

Those who have taken too much retinol or vitamin A usually experience nausea, dizziness, headaches, skin peeling, and other side effects. While these symptoms could occur in the wrong astaxanthin dosage, it’s not that likely because you would have to consume bottles of the supplement before you’re “poisoned” by the substance. This is why astaxanthin dosage isn’t usually discussed. Some manufacturers even claim that there’s absolutely no chance for you to suffer from an overdose of astaxanthin supplements.

The most beneficial dosage of astaxanthin is 5mg daily for adults. This is enough to rejuvenated the cell walls, make them stronger against toxins and stressors, and keep you away from various cancer risks. Clearer eye sight, a healthier brain, and younger looking skin are also some of the many benefits of taking astaxanthin as a food supplement.

Astaxanthin Dosage and Formulation

While there’s virtually no overdosage danger in taking astaxanthin, you must think about the formulation. When the body takes in too many nutrients at the same time, the tendency is for it not to absorb the substances well. To take full advantage of your astaxanthin dosage, you should choose 2mg pills which should be taken after your daily major meals. Instead of a capsule, you might want to choose a soft gel pill instead. This is more easily released in your stomach and through your bloodstream so you know that you’re getting the full benefits of the antioxidant without straining your digestion.

Pairing Astaxanthin with Other Nutrients

Aside from your astaxanthin dosage, you should also think about how well the substance is absorbed by the body in relation to the other nutrients you’re taking in. Actually, your astaxanthin dosage is more easily absorbed when you eat fatty meals. It’s a fat-soluble nutrient. This can be bad news for people who are taking orlistat or other fat blocking supplements. To get the benefits of astaxanthin while taking anti-obesity medications, take the astaxanthin supplement two hours after you’ve taken your anti-obesity pill. You might also want to include healthy fats into your diet like fish oil.

Getting Your Astaxanthin Dosage Naturally

The reason why most people get their astaxanthin dosage from artificial food supplements is because they don’t get enough from seafood or yeast. In some countries, astaxanthin isn’t even necessary because those people eat enough seafood like crabs, salmon, micro-algae, crawfish and so on. You can actually lower your astaxanthin dosage if you eat plenty of these seafood dishes.

Of course, the benefit of taking measured supplements like this is that you can be sure that you’re getting just enough antioxidants for your body. The cooking processes can sometimes lower the astaxanthin content in its natural dietary sources. Some people simply dislike seafood which is why they opt for the soft gel supplements.

Whether it’s scarcity you’re dealing with, the risk of overcooking your seafood, or simply your picky taste buds, it’s good to have a bottle of astaxanthin supplements in the house just to make sure you’re helping your body stay healthy.

What Does Natural Astaxanthin Do?

Before jumping to the benefits of getting supplements, you should know what natural astaxanthin does for your body. This is a fat-soluble nutrient which can help you fight off the toxins in your body. These days, dietary habits, stress from busy lifestyles, and other factors which are present in the environment can cause the growth of cancer cells. Astaxanthin has more antioxidant potency compared to beta-carotene and retinol. Compared to these Vitamin A variants, astaxanthin won’t cause Vitamin A toxicity, and it’s virtually side effect free. There’s no plausible way you could suffer overdosage of this nutrient. Enough natural astaxanthin in your diet helps to keep you young by keeping your eyes and your brain healthy.

You gain only benefits from taking natural astaxanthin supplements, and virtually no side effects. Even if you’re already eating a lot of seafood, these supplements can still help you regain the lost natural astaxanthin that was broken down during the cooking process. Of course, these astaxanthin supplements are most beneficial for people who don’t get enough seafood because of the scarcity of these products in their area. Those who are allergic to seafood can also get their astaxanthin from these supplements. The normal dosage for supplements is 5mg a day, although if you go a little over this dosage, you won’t suffer from any side effects. Consult your doctor about the nutrient’s interaction with other drugs since you might be taking medicines which could affect the absorption of natural astaxanthin into your body.

Anti-Obesity Medicines and Natural Astaxanthin

It’s harder for your body to absorb natural astaxanthin when you’re taking anti-obesity medicines. When you take Orlistat, for example, and you consume salmon, you’ll probably get the other nutrients from salmon but not astaxanthin. This antioxidant is soluble in fat, and when you take medicines which block fat from your stomach walls, the astaxanthin in the food you eat only turn into waste.

To get the antioxidant benefits of astaxanthin even while you’re taking orlistat and other fat blockers, take the medicine two hours after your fat blocker intake. Perhaps you can take it with a glass of full cream milk, or good fat from fish oil supplements so it can be absorbed by your body faster. It’s important for you to keep your antioxidant intake up because the risks of cancer these days is just too high. You even heighten this risk when you take in synthetic fat blockers like Orlistat, but if you really need this because of clinical obesity, just pop the antioxidant two hours after your last orlistat intake.

Choosing Your Natural Astaxanthin Sources

Not all astaxanthin sources are made the same. Some of them can’t be that easily absorbed by the body, while others are well thought-out by their manufacturers. Choose soft gel capsules because the soft gel membrane breaks easier. This means that that anti-oxidant can do its job more quickly. Choose supplements that have been extracted from micro-algae because micro-algae have the highest concentration of astaxanthin. Look at the extraction process too, no organic solvents should be included in the extraction because this lowers the quality of natural astaxanthin.

Using Meso Zeaxanthin Supplements

There’s no product in the market yet which combines all three of these carotenoids. It’s ideal for you to take meso zeaxanthin supplements with lutein and zeaxanthin supplements as well. Ask your physician about the recommended dosage, but most of the supplements on sale today contain 20mg of meso zeaxanthin, which is the recommended daily dosage. You can also get meso zeaxanthin from salmon, shrimps, sea bass and halibut.

It is important for you not to overdose on meso zeaxanthin supplements. At the very least, it can cause an abnormal pigmentation in your stool or your skin. Other health-significant side effects of over dosing include hormonal imbalance and the lowering of your blood pressure. Some sources say that significant levels of meso zeaxanthin are actually not found in food sources, rather, it is produced by the lutein in the retina.

What is AMD?

To understand the importance of meso zeaxanthin in the body, you should understand AMD first of all. Age-related macular degeneration rarely occurs in young people, but that doesn’t mean it never does. This happens when the visual field of the eye is damaged because of the deficiency of these three carotenoids. Macular degeneration makes it more difficult for people to read, although in general, they’re not rendered totally blind. They can still go about with their everyday activities. Those who have AMD usually experience blurred vision, abnormalities with the pigmentation of the eye, hemorrhaging in the eye ball, or the appearance of “shadows” or scotomas in one’s vision.

AMD can affect one’s career. If you’re a writer, an architect, an artist, etc., the worst thing that can happen to you is to be visually impaired. While blurred vision can still be corrected with lenses, scotomas may require drastic laser surgeries, or even eye transplants when the vision impairment is nearing blindness. It should be noted that meso zeaxanthin supplements cannot correct this condition. What you can do is take meso zeaxanthin supplements to prevent this from happening.

Food Sources For Lutein and Zeaxanthin

Aside from meso zeaxanthin, you need to make sure that you’re getting enough lutein and zeaxanthin. The natural sources of these nutrients are green leafy vegetables. There are also plenty of supplements in the market which combine both lutein and zeaxanthin. Talk to your physician before taking these supplements as they could interact negatively with the medicines you’re taking. You should also consult your doctor about possible side effects if you overdose on these supplements.

Aside from eating the right food and supplementing for dietary nutrients, it’s important to take care of your eyes. Eye strain from computer use and reading is common. You should learn how to rest your eyes from time to time. You should also use contact lenses less frequently as they could scratch your cornea and cause vision loss.

What Are The Best Astaxanthin Sources?

When looking for astaxanthin supplements, try to choose ones which have been extracted from micro-algae. This is the best source for astaxanthin, although other marine products like salmon, crab and lobster also have significant doses of this nutrient.

If possible, do not use organic solvents, otherwise, the quality of the nutrient in the capsule could diminish. The formulation and the capsule design should also be taken into account. Soft gels make absorption easier for the body and that’s always a good thing. 2mg formulations taken twice a day or more frequently are also more easily absorbed compared to larger, once-a-day doses.

Asthaxanthin’s Interactions with Other Drugs

The only medication which could affect the potency of astaxanthin supplements are anti-obesity pills, particularly orlistat variants. Orlistat blocks the fat from the stomach and directs it to the intestines as waste. Astaxanthin can’t be absorbed by the body without fat. This is the reason why you should never take the supplement with your anti-obesity pills. This doesn’t mean, though, that you can no longer take astaxanthin supplements when you’re under medication for obesity. What you can do is take the astaxanthin supplements two full hours after your last orlistat intake. If possible, take it with good fat, or fish oil supplements so you can be sure that it’s absorbed well by your body. When you take these antioxidants with anti-obesity medications, you’re just wasting your money. Take fat-soluble supplements once the peak effect of your anti-obesity pills have already worn off.

Avoided Side Effects by Taking Astaxanthin Supplements instead of Beta-Carotene

Most people don’t know this but by choosing to take astaxanthin supplements instead of Vitamin A variants like beta-carotene, you actually save yourself from harmful side-effects like headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of appetite and more. While vitamin A is in itself good as a nutrient, too much of it can be toxic for the human body. With astaxanthin supplements, you get to enjoy a more potent antioxidant effect without putting your body at risk.

As a matter of fact, even if you go beyond the recommended 5mg daily dosage, you’re not likely to suffer from side-effects. Side effects could happen if you consume an entire bottle of the supplement in one sitting, and no one in his/her right mind would want to do that.

Before taking astaxanthin supplements, however, you should still consult your doctor. While the general feedback from those who took astaxanthin supplements is positive, your medical records will always be unique from everyone else’s. Your doctor’s advice is especially necessary when you’re taking other medicines. For all you know, these medicines might be counteracting the supplement. You wouldn’t want to waste money, or worse, suffer from the repercussions of a bad chemical interaction by taking astaxanthin supplements.

Natural Sources for Astaxanthin Benefits

You can actually get Astaxanthin benefits from marine-based products like salmon, crab and lobsters, though the natural source which has the highest concentration of this substance is micro algae. People who include a lot of seafood in their diet benefit from this nutrient. Among the natural Astaxanthin benefits is anti-toxin cell rejuvenation. According to research, it actually has ten times the antioxidant powers of beta-carotene or retinol. It also helps to relax eye muscles, keep eyes clearer, and help keep your brain healthy despite the effects of old age. Basically, you age better when you eat foods that contain Astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin Benefits from Supplements

If you don’t include enough seafood in your diet, you can also get Astaxanthin benefits from supplements. The best ones have Astaxanthin extracts from micro-algae. Micro-algae have the highest level of this nutrient’s content. Just make sure that you choose supplements which weren’t extracted using organic solvents. Organic solvents can lower the anti-oxidant potency of the nutrient. You should also try to get supplements which are packaged in soft gels. Astaxanthin benefits are maximized when the nutrient is absorbed by the body quickly. It’s also better if you take lower doses of the supplement more than once a day, rather than taking the required daily dosage in one sitting. Most supplements, or at least the best ones, divide the 5mg recommended dosage into 2mg capsules.

Interactions

To get the full Astaxanthin benefits, you should talk to your physician first. Make sure that the supplement is compatible to your diet, your medical needs, and the current supplements and medications you’re taking. For example, you won’t get the full Astaxanthin benefits if you’re taking anti-obesity medications like orlistat. Orlistat blocks fat and prevents your stomach walls from absorbing it. Astaxanthin is fat-soluble, and if your body is blocking fat, it won’t be able to absorb Astaxanthin.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get Astaxanthin benefits when you’re taking medicines for obesity. You can still take this supplement as long as you take it two hours after your last orlistat intake. You don’t have to take food with the supplement, but it would help if you drink full cream milk with the supplement, or good fat supplements from fish oil which are also good for your skin. The point is that you have to consult with your doctor to make sure that you’re getting the maximum Astaxanthin benefits, otherwise, you might not be taking it the right way, or worse, you might suffer from negative chemical interactions between this supplement and the medicines you’re taking.

Storage Instructions

You can also get full Astaxanthin benefits if you follow the supplement’s storage instructions. This is especially true if your supplements are in soft gel form. These supplements tend to be very sensitive to temperature changes, particularly heat.

If you live in a tropical country, you need to keep your supplements away from the heat of the sun. Put the bottle in a dark compartment, ideally someplace colder than the rest of the room. The storage area should also be dry. Make sure that you keep the bottle sealed up because too much air exposure can alter the supplement’s chemical consistency. Consume the supplements on or before the expiration date, and while it’s unlikely, stop taking it if you experience any unwanted side effect.

Did you know, that the “super” in its current super antioxidant status is well-earned? Most antioxidants in the market today are derived from plants. Lutein, lycopene and beta carotene are all derived from plant sources like tomatoes and carrots. When you buy astaxanthin supplements, you’ll notice that it’s extracted from marine products like micro-algae (at its highest concentration), salmon, crabs, and crawfish. It’s said to be 80 to 500 times more potent than Vitamin D in terms of helping the body age slower.

Astaxathin is a marine-produce derived fat soluble nutrient which can protect cells from degeneration. Most people buy astaxanthin supplements because they would like to double the benefits they’re getting from their daily diets. If you get enough seafood in your region, and you couple it with a plant-derived foods which contain other anti-oxidants, is it still advisable for you to buy astaxanthin supplements? The answer is yes because you can’t really have too much of this age-defying nutrient.

Consulting Your Physician Before You Buy Astaxanthin

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding you need to consult your physician first before you buy astaxanthin. While there are no reported negative side effects caused by the product, the safety of women who are breastfeeding or are pregnant are not ascertained either. Each person has his/her own tolerance to asthaxanthin. You can buy astaxanthin enriched natural sources for your needs like lobsters, crabs, salmon, and microalgae, but supplements may have higher concentrations of the substance, which means that you’ll have to consult with your physician first.

Consultations are also recommended for people who are currently taking other medicines, particularly fat-blockers or anti-obesity pills. It’s recommended that you consume your astaxanthin pills after meals because it’s a fat-soluble nutrient. However, when you buy astaxanthin supplements and take them with anti-obesity pills, you might be wasting your time. Your body won’t be able to digest and absorb the nutrient without fat, which means it’ll just go to waste.

Most doctors would advice their patients to buy astaxanthin supplements, but to take it two hours after your most recent intake of orlistat or any other fat-blocker. This way, the fat blocking effect has already been lowered. It’s also advisable for you to take your astaxanthin with good fat from fish oil supplements. These fish oil supplements are also good for the skin, so while you’re introducing fat into your body, it’s a controlled amount of fat, and it’s not bad cholesterol so you’re not counteracting your anti-obesity pills.

Astaxanthin Benefits

You actually reap a lot of benefits when you buy astaxanthin supplements. Of course, to be on the safe side, you should still consult your physician about the right daily dosage. Most people are advised a maximum of 5mg daily, accompanied by a balanced diet. Your dosage will still depend on your health, weight and age. When you buy astaxanthin supplements and you take it regularly, you make your cell walls stronger. They’re less prone to damage which actually causes cancer.

Those who buy astaxanthin supplements also testify that the pills help them cope with eye strain. Actually, aside from being an antioxidant, it also helps stop inflammations. If you have enough astaxanthin in your body, you’re least likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s, muscle and eye ailments. So, go buy astaxanthin now and realize the benefits for yourself.

Are you currently taking supplements? Then it’s very unlikely that you’ll experience astaxanthin side effects which are linked to toxicity. Even at high levels, astaxanthin has been labeled harmless. Some people might experience some reddish coloration on their stool or on their skin when they take more than the recommended dosage of this supplement. Serious astaxanthin side effects which could seriously affect people’s health are very rare, though.

Rare Astaxanthin Side Effects That CAN Affect Your Health

Although they’re very rare, the serious side effects of this supplement shouldn’t be completely overlooked. Just because they don’t happen every day doesn’t mean they’re not likely to happen at all. On occasion, those who take supplements do experience serious astaxanthin side effects like low blood pressure and hormonal changes. There is also a chance that you may be allergic to astaxanthin. If so, then you may experience swelling and rashes over the areas affected. These astaxanthin side effects are not caused by the actual products, but your bodies reaction to it.

If you know you’re allergic to seafood, then speak to your doctor about using astaxanthin since you are at higher risk to being allergic to the natural astaxanthin in the fish or lobster. Of course, there are exceptions when asthaxanthin supplements are prescribed to people who are allergic to seafood dishes and could only get this nutrient through pills. This is if they’re allergic to something else in the seafood, and not the astaxanthin content. Should you experience astaxanthin side effects during the latter stages of your intake, consult your physician right away. You might be asked to discontinue your dosage and replace it with a similar, although less potent antioxidant.

Should You Be Concerned?

It should be duly noted that astaxanthin side effects are very rare which is why most people still use it as a non-prescription food supplement. Antioxidant and anti-aging properties of the supplement make the substance very attractive, especially to people who are looking for ways to lower the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease and other muscle ailments. As a matter of fact, it is often used as prevention for muscle ailments in the eye.

According to studies, astaxanthin has 10 times the antioxidant potency as beta carotene. If you’re worried about astaxanthin side effects then you should know that more people experience toxicity from Vitamin A and that this nutrient is used as an alternative because it’s said to be less harmful. It’s also believed to be an anti-inflammatory, although there is no scientific evidences to support this claim.

Minimizing Astaxanthin Side Effects

Speaking to your doctor can minimize the chance of having astaxanthin side effects. There are many variables that can affect you, such as, your age, genetics and current medications. It’s also not recommended if you’re pregnant or are breastfeeding not because it’s harmful for small children and infants per se, but because your child may be allergic to the supplement or may have other astaxanthin side effects.