29 Dec What is Astaxanthin and why is it good for my dog?
Astaxanthin is a natural antioxidant which gives the salmon oil a distinct reddish/orange-ish tint.
Due to the fact that Astaxanthin has a massive surplus of free electrons, its antioxidant capacity will last a lot longer. Once it has donated the electrons to neutralize free radicals, it will eliminate the excess energy as heat.
It can handle multiple free radicals at any given time — most antioxidants can only handle one free radical at a time, but Astaxanthin can handle up to 19 free radicals at once.
It positions itself across the entire cell membrane, which is unlike any other carotenoid:
A portion will attach to the exterior of the cell (offers protection from free radicals outside of the cell).
A portion will attach to the interior (offers protection inside where there are free radicals being generated).
A portion crosses the entire lipid layer (to protect against lipid peroxidation)
Unlike other anti-oxidants including Vitamin C and Beta-Carotene, Astaxanthin does not become pro-oxidant in the body nor does it break down into Vitamin A, making it ideal for topical skincare due to its stability.
It is 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C, 800 times stronger than CoQ10, 550 times stronger than Green Tea Catechins and 75 times stronger than Alpha Lipoic Acid.