Astaxanthin supplements in heart failure: oxidative stress and symptoms
What it found
In 80 people with heart failure, taking 20 mg of astaxanthin daily for 8 weeks improved several oxidative stress markers and reduced uric acid, and also improved breathlessness and fatigue.
The authors say the results are promising but need confirmation in larger, longer studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Oxidative stress markers
After 8 weeks, the astaxanthin group had a bigger rise in total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase, and a bigger drop in malondialdehyde, compared with the placebo group.
Uric acid
The astaxanthin group had a greater reduction in serum uric acid than the placebo group.
Breathlessness and fatigue
The astaxanthin group showed significantly greater reductions in the severity of dyspnea and fatigue than the placebo group.
Appetite
Appetite increased in both groups, but the difference between groups was not statistically significant after 8 weeks.
Side effects
Two participants in the astaxanthin group experienced gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea and vomiting.
What the authors conclude
“These findings suggest that ASX supplementation may be effective in improving oxidative stress biomarkers and clinical status in patients with HF.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that astaxanthin supplementation may be effective in improving oxidative stress biomarkers and clinical status in patients with heart failure.
- They say that astaxanthin may be considered a potential adjunctive option, but further large-scale and long-term studies are warranted before firm clinical recommendations can be made.
How it was done
Heart failure is often linked to increased oxidative stress and high uric acid, which can worsen outcomes. Astaxanthin is a strong antioxidant that may help reduce these harmful effects, but clinical evidence in heart failure patients was scarce.
They randomly assigned 80 patients with heart failure to take either 20 mg of astaxanthin or a placebo capsule daily for 8 weeks. Both groups were similar at the start, and the study was double-blind.
What it can’t tell you
- The study was relatively short and had a small number of participants, so the long-term effects and safety are not known.
- The results may not apply to all heart failure patients, especially those with preserved ejection fraction, because only patients with reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction were included.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (approval code: IR.MUI.MED.REC.1402.099, approved on 19 March 2024) and trial registration (IRCT20200429047235N3, registered on 26 March 2024) were both completed before the enrollment of the first participant. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their enrollment in the study, ensuring their voluntary participation and adherence to ethical standards in research. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran; School of Nutrition and Food Science Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Alzahra University, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Impact of astaxanthin on oxidative markers, uric acid, and clinical symptoms in heart failure: a randomized clinical trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Mohammadi SG, Shafie D, Feizi A, Bagherniya M, Ahmadi AR, Kafeshani M (2025). Impact of astaxanthin on oxidative markers, uric acid, and clinical symptoms in heart failure: a randomized clinical trial. BMC cardiovascular disorders. doi:10.1186/s12872-025-05260-zFree full textPubMed 41162864DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error