Major Astaxanthin Side Effects that You Must be Aware

Pollution is everywhere. Many medical conditions are caused by pollution. We can protect ourselves from these diseases by boosting our immune system. A very good way to boost our immune system is to take anti-oxidant supplement like astaxanthin. We will discover in this article the benefits of this anti-oxidant to our body and other astaxanthin side effects if there are any.

Let us first know what astaxanthin is. Astaxanthin is classified as a xantophyll which literally means “yellow leaf”. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid which is derived from natural sources like microalgae, shrimp, krill, yeast, salmon, trout, crayfish and other crustaceans. But unlike other carotenoids, the body does not convert astaxanthin into Vitamin A. Too much vitamin A is toxic to our body, but astaxanthin has lower toxicity levels although there are some astaxanthin side effects that are reported.

Studies show that astaxanthin can be beneficial in treating cardiovascular diseases, boosts immune system and also has a potential in treating other inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Astaxanthin is commonly derived from natural sources, but it can also be formulated as a synthetic food supplement for humans, animals and also for aquaculture. It is also used as food coloring specifically to animal food. The best natural source of astaxanthin is from a microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis. Natural astaxanthin is generally safe and can be consumed even in high doses, but as a food coloring, it is exclusively used for animal and fish foods. Now let us know the major astaxanthin side effects.

A very common side effect of synthetic astaxanthin to the body is pigment changes especially to the skin and stool. Many people that take astaxanthin as food supplements reported an orange pigment tint in their skin as one of astaxanthin side effects. This side effect is relatively not life threatening and can be ignored.

One major astaxanthin side effects that you must be aware of is hormonal imbalance. Imbalance of hormones in the body can lead to many diseases and can also be life threatening. Another serious side effect of taking astaxanthin is lower blood pressure. So, it is very important that you don’t have any underlying serious medical condition before taking astaxanthin.

Other side effects include lower libido, lower calcium levels in the body, hair growth and aplastic anemia. Always remember the golden rule before taking any medications and food supplements for that matter and that is to consult your doctor first before using any medications or supplements. Think twice before taking astaxanthin if you have hypertension, osteoporosis, parathyroid disorders and asthma because it can aggravate your condition.

Some of these astaxanthin side effects can be fatal if not properly treated. Taking food supplements can have its benefits to the body but we must be also aware of the potential negative effects of these synthetic food supplements. If you want to enjoy the full benefits of astaxanthin to your body, it is suggested that you acquire it from natural sources because we all know that natural is always and still the best for our body.