PULLMAN, Wash.—Salmon isn’t only good for its omega-3 content. The carotenoid that gives salmon its pinkish color—astaxanthin—is a well-known antioxidant and a recent study at Washington State University found dietary astaxanthin decreases a DNA damage biomarker and acute phase protein, and enhances immune response in young healthy females (Nutr Metab. 2010;7:18). Young healthy adult females (averaged 21.5 years) received 0, 2 or 8 mg/d of astaxanthin (n=14/diet) for eight weeks in a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled study.
Plasma astaxanthin increased (P<0.01) dose-dependently after four or eight weeks of supplementation. Astaxanthin decreased a DNA damage biomarker after four weeks but did not affect lipid peroxidation. Plasma C-reactive protein concentration was lower (P<0.05) on week eight in subjects given 2 mg/d of astaxanthin. Dietary astaxanthin stimulated mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation, increased natural killer cell cytotoxic activity, and increased total T and B cell subpopulations, but did not influence populations of Thelper, Tcytotoxic or natural killer cells. A higher percentage of leukocytes expressed the LFA-1 marker in subjects given 2 mg/d astaxanthin on week eight. Subjects fed 2 mg/d of astaxanthin had a higher tuberculin response than unsupplemented subjects. There was no difference in TNF and IL-2 concentrations, but plasma IFN-gamma and IL-6 increased on week eight in subjects given 8 mg/d astaxanthin.
