Astaxanthin and diabetes-related gum and bone damage in mice
What it found
In diabetic mice, astaxanthin did not lower blood sugar but reduced destruction of the tissues and bone around the teeth.
It also improved water and food intake and survival.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Blood sugar
Astaxanthin did not lower blood sugar in the diabetic mice at any point during the 60 days. It also did not prevent damage to the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Gum and bone damage
Diabetic mice given astaxanthin had much less destruction of the bone and tissue around their teeth than diabetic mice given only the vehicle. Their bone measurements were close to those of non-diabetic mice.
Bone-building and bone-breaking
Astaxanthin reduced the number of bone-destroying cells and lowered signals that promote bone breakdown in the gum tissue. It also raised levels of two proteins involved in bone formation.
Oxidative stress and inflammation
In the gum tissue of diabetic mice, astaxanthin lowered markers of oxidative damage to DNA and inflammation. It also restored levels of an antioxidant regulator called Nrf2 and increased the activity of two antioxidant enzymes in the blood.
Survival and symptoms
Diabetic mice given astaxanthin drank and ate less than untreated diabetic mice and had a higher survival rate after 60 days. They also lost weight less sharply early on.
Lab tests on human cells
In human periodontal ligament cells exposed to advanced glycation end products, astaxanthin reduced oxidative stress and restored mineralization and cell growth. Blocking Nrf2 with a chemical reduced these effects, suggesting Nrf2 is involved.
What the authors conclude
“Together, our results suggest that ASTX does not directly improve hyperglycemia, but ameliorates hyperglycemia-triggered periodontal destruction and oxidative systemic complications in type I diabetes.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that supplemental astaxanthin protects against high blood sugar-triggered periodontal breakdown and improves systemic complications in type 1 diabetic mice.
- They state that these protective effects are not due to improving high blood sugar or protecting the pancreas, but rather to recovering Nrf2-regulated antioxidant systems and reducing oxidative damage, bone breakdown, and inflammation.
- They suggest that supplemental astaxanthin might help improve periodontal destruction and oxidative complications in people with type 1 diabetes.
How it was done
The authors wanted to know whether astaxanthin protects against the breakdown of tissue around the teeth caused by high blood sugar, and how it might do so.
Mice with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes were given astaxanthin (12.5 mg/kg) or a vehicle by mouth daily for 60 days. The researchers also tested astaxanthin on human periodontal ligament cells exposed to advanced glycation end products in the lab.
What it can’t tell you
- These are animal and lab studies. They cannot show whether astaxanthin would have the same effects in people.
- The mice had type 1 diabetes caused by a chemical. The results may not apply to other types of diabetes or to people with gum disease from other causes.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by National Research Foundation of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Jeonbuk National University, Korea; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University, Korea
The paper
- Title
- Astaxanthin Inhibits Diabetes-Triggered Periodontal Destruction, Ameliorates Oxidative Complications in STZ-Injected Mice, and Recovers Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant System
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Bhattarai G, So HS, Kieu TTT, Kook SH, Lee JC, Jeon YM (2021). Astaxanthin Inhibits Diabetes-Triggered Periodontal Destruction, Ameliorates Oxidative Complications in STZ-Injected Mice, and Recovers Nrf2-Dependent Antioxidant System. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu13103575Free full textPubMed 34684576DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error