Astaxanthin from microalgae and its possible health roles
What it found
Astaxanthin is a strong antioxidant from microalgae.
The authors say it may help with heart disease, skin, diabetes and cancer, but long-term safety in people is not yet well studied.
What they found
Stronger than other carotenoids
Astaxanthin is a super antioxidant molecule. It has higher antioxidant activity than a range of other carotenoids.
Natural vs synthetic
Natural astaxanthin significantly reduces oxidative and free-radical stress compared to synthetic astaxanthin.
Possible health uses
The authors describe possible roles for astaxanthin in preventing heart disease, protecting skin, and as an antidiabetic and anticancer agent. It is also used as a cosmetic ingredient, natural food colour and feed supplement in poultry and fish farming.
Where it comes from
Naturally, astaxanthin is derived from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis using a one-stage or two-stage process.
Cost and market share
Naturally derived astaxanthin costs more to make. It accounts for only a 1% share of the total astaxanthin available in the global market.
Long-term use not clear
The authors note that there are some risks or not enough research on long-term consumption. Because of this, food industries have not yet fully explored it.
What the authors conclude
- They say astaxanthin is one of the high-valued microalgae products of the future.
- They note that scientists are looking for ways to cut down the cost of natural astaxanthin to be made available to consumers.
How it was done
Astaxanthin has strong antioxidant activity and many possible uses in food, medicine and farming. The authors wanted to pull together what is known about it and what still needs work.
The authors gathered and summarised existing research on astaxanthin. They looked at its structure, how it is taken in by the body, how it is made, and its possible roles in health and industry.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a summary of existing research, not a new study in people. It cannot show whether astaxanthin prevents or treats any disease.
- The possible health roles are based on various studies, but the authors say long-term consumption has not had adequate research.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- CCS Haryana Agricultural University, India
The paper
- Title
- Astaxanthin: A super antioxidant from microalgae and its therapeutic potential
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Kumar S, Kumar R, Diksha, Kumari A, Panwar A (2022). Astaxanthin: A super antioxidant from microalgae and its therapeutic potential. Journal of basic microbiology. doi:10.1002/jobm.202100391PubMed 34817092DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error