Astaxanthin, inflammation and exercise performance in 15 male firefighters
What it found
Taking 12 mg of astaxanthin daily for four weeks blunted some inflammation markers after intense exercise in 15 male firefighters.
It did not change blood fats or firefighting task times.
What they found
Studies in people
Inflammation after exercise
After hard treadmill exercise, several inflammation markers rose when men took the placebo but stayed flat when they took astaxanthin. During firefighting drills, rises in cortisol and an inflammation marker were also smaller with astaxanthin. Most of these differences showed up within each treatment period rather than clearly between them.
Oxidative stress markers
Four weeks of astaxanthin did not change fasting levels of most oxidative stress markers compared to the placebo. One marker called AGEs tended to be slightly higher after taking astaxanthin, though this was not a firm difference. During firefighting drills, uric acid in saliva rose less with astaxanthin.
Blood fats unchanged
Total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels were about the same whether the men took astaxanthin or the placebo. Fasting values tended to look slightly better with astaxanthin, but the differences were too small to be certain.
Breathing threshold improved
The point during exercise where breathing becomes much harder happened later when the men took astaxanthin. This breathing threshold rose from about 67% of peak oxygen use on the placebo to nearly 74% on astaxanthin.
Firefighting task speed
Astaxanthin did not change how fast the men finished nine firefighting tasks. Heart rates and air tank use during the drills were also about the same on both treatments.
What the authors conclude
- They say astaxanthin may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by short, intense exercise in firefighters.
- They note that most changes were seen within each treatment phase rather than as clear differences between astaxanthin and the placebo.
- They advise more research to find out if taking astaxanthin for longer periods could improve heart and metabolic health in this group.
How it was done
Firefighters face extreme physical stress that raises inflammation and oxidative stress, which can harm heart health over time. The authors wanted to see if astaxanthin could help manage these stress responses and support job performance.
Fifteen healthy male career firefighters took either 12 mg of astaxanthin or a placebo every day for four weeks. They followed the same strength training program and then switched treatments after a two week break. Researchers measured blood markers, breathing capacity, and how fast they completed nine firefighting tasks.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial only lasted four weeks, so it cannot show what happens when people take astaxanthin for months or years.
- All participants were fit male firefighters, so the results might not apply to women, older adults, or people who do not exercise regularly.
- The study used 12 mg per day, so it cannot tell us if other amounts would have different effects.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
- Authors work at
- Texas A&M University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Impact of astaxanthin supplementation on markers of cardiometabolic health and tactical performance among firefighters
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Gonzalez DE, Dickerson BL, Johnson SE, et al (2024). Impact of astaxanthin supplementation on markers of cardiometabolic health and tactical performance among firefighters. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. doi:10.1080/15502783.2024.2427751Free full textPubMed 39568140DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error