What is astaxanthin anyway? It is a carotenoid and a powerful antioxidant. Have you ever wondered why flamingos are pink? They get their color from the astaxanthin in their diet. This is also one of the reasons why salmon has a pinkish color.

Astaxanthin originally comes from a microalgae called Haematococcus pluvialis. The reason you can find it in many animals, especially in marine animals is because they eat this plant and then digest it, thereby getting more astaxanthin in their bodies.

Best Food Sources

The best foods for this impressive carotenoid are marine plants, salmon, shrimp, trout and other seafoods. You do not need a lot to take advantage of the health benefits of astaxanthin, but most people are not getting enough, which is where the problem is.

The Benefits

As I mentioned earlier, astaxanthin is an antioxidant that protects your cells against oxidative damage, which means that it also helps reduce the aging of your skin and body.

Other benefits of astaxanthin that have been proven by scientific research are:

o Protects your brain, eyes and nervous system
o Improves athletic performance
o Improves vision
o Reduces wrinkles and fine lines from the inside out
o Increases strength
o Alleviates stress
o Prevents the formation of cancer cells