Astaxanthin for Sports & Fitness
Why Use
Why Do Athletes Use It?*
Some athletes say that astaxanthin improves endurance and speeds up muscle recovery after exercise.
What Do the Advocates Say?*
Astaxanthin has antioxidant and other properties that can help protect against muscle damage, and also affects some aspects of energy metabolism. Athletes performing endurance exercise or training for extended time periods have benefited either in terms of athletic performance or protection from muscle damage.
*Athletes and fitness advocates may claim benefits for this supplement based on their personal or professional experience. These are individual opinions and testimonials that may or may not be supported by controlled clinical studies or published scientific articles.
Dosage & Side Effects
How Much Is Usually Taken by Athletes?
Athletes usually take 4 mg per day of astaxanthin for several weeks.
Side Effects
Astaxanthin is an approved pigment for use in feeding fish grown for human consumption,1 and animals given large amounts of astaxanthin have shown no sign of harm.2, 3 Human clinical trials and a double-blind safety trial found no clinically important side effects in people taking supplements of astaxanthin.4, 5, 6
Interactions with Supplements, Foods, & Other Compounds
At the time of writing, there were no well-known supplement or food interactions with this supplement.
Interactions with Medicines
As of the last update, we found no reported interactions between this supplement and medicines. It is possible that unknown interactions exist. If you take medication, always discuss the potential risks and benefits of adding a new supplement with your doctor or pharmacist.
More Resources
Where to Find It
Seafood such as crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.) and fish possessing pink flesh (salmon, trout, etc.) are the most common sources of astaxanthin in the diet.7, 8 Astaxanthin is also available as a supplement.
