Compound
astaxanthin
No description recorded for this entry yet. Everything this graph holds about astaxanthin is below.
Studied for
8 endpoints, 9 findings, from 4 papers — 6 of them found no effect.
- LDL cholesterolraisesGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Maximal oxygen uptakeno detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Systolic blood pressure (setting unspecified)lowersGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Time-trial completion timeno detected effectGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.
- Interleukin-6 concentrationno detected effectGrade C, Suggestive. Weak human evidence, or strong evidence in a mismatched population.
Structure
- Class
- Organic compound
- Formula
- C40H52O4
- Mass
- 596.852 g/mol
- Charge
- 0
- InChIKey
- MQZIGYBFDRPAKN-UWFIBFSHSA-N
- SMILES
- CC1=C(/C=C/C(C)=C/C=C/C(C)=C/C=C/C=C(C)/C=C/C=C(C)/C=C/C2=C(C)C(=O)[C@@H](O)CC2(C)C)C(C)(C)C[C@H](O)C1=O
- Look it up
- ChEBIBy InChIKey
Identity from ChEBI. Not evidence — none of it carries a grade.
What the evidence says
How to read these marks9 findings across 8 endpoints, from 4 papers, strongest first, 6 of them null.
What moved
3 findings
Decreases systolic blood pressure (setting unspecified)
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.Finding“Subgroup analysis exhibited that the SBP was reduced significantly when AST was administered for more than 8 weeks (MD = −4.69; 95% CI = −9.23, −0.16; I2 = 0%; p = 0.04) (Supplementary File S6 Figure S4a).”
Quoted verbatim from Astaxanthin Influence on Health Outcomes of Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults with metabolic syndrome risk factors; subgroup: AST administered for more than 8 weeks (pooled meta-analysis subgroup)
Effect -4.69 mean difference, 95% CI -9.23 to -0.16
Astaxanthin Influence on Health Outcomes of Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2022PMID:35631193
Increases LDL cholesterol
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.Finding“However, AST significantly increased the level of LDL-C (MD = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.64, 0.89; I2 = 0%; p < 0.00001;, regardless the duration of consumption and dosage of administration (Supplementary File S6 Figure S8a,b).”
Quoted verbatim from Astaxanthin Influence on Health Outcomes of Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults with metabolic syndrome risk factors (CTS, T2DM, obesity, hypertension, renal transplant recipients); meta-analysis pooling 7 RCTs
Effect 0.64 mean difference, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.89
Astaxanthin Influence on Health Outcomes of Adults at Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2022PMID:35631193
Decreases interleukin-6 concentration
PreliminaryGrade D, Preliminary. Non-human or in vitro only.Finding“Astaxanthin significantly reduced blood interleukin-6 concentration in T2DM patients (weighted mean difference: -0.70 pg/mL; 95% CI, -1.29 to -0.11 pg/mL; P = .02).”
Quoted verbatim from Astaxanthin supplementation mildly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients; meta-analysis subgroup within the pooled 12-RCT synthesis
Effect -0.7 mean difference, 95% CI -1.29 to -0.11
What did not
6 findings
Measured, and no effect detected. These are findings, not gaps — a trial that looked and found nothing is the most easily lost result in this field.
No detected effect on maximal oxygen uptake
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“The pooled effect indicated no significant improvement in VO2max with astaxanthin supplementation compared with control (SMD = −0.14, 95% CI: −0.78 to 0.50), and heterogeneity was considerable (I2 = 83.1%).”
Quoted verbatim from The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- healthy adults and athletes; meta-analysis pooling 9 RCT comparisons
Effect -0.14 standardised mean difference, 95% CI -0.78 to 0.5
The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2026PMID:42197030Industry funded
No detected effect on time-trial completion time
LikelyGrade B, Likely. Human evidence, limited replication or design limits.FindingNull result“The pooled estimate showed no significant effect of astaxanthin supplementation on time-trial performance (SMD = −0.17, 95% CI: −0.76 to 0.42), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 43.7%).”
Quoted verbatim from The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- healthy adults and athletes; meta-analysis pooling 3 RCT comparisons
Effect -0.17 standardised mean difference, 95% CI -0.76 to 0.42
The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2026PMID:42197030Industry funded
No detected effect on interleukin-6 concentration
SuggestiveGrade C, Suggestive. Weak human evidence, or strong evidence in a mismatched population.FindingNull result“The pooled effect showed no statistically significant influence of astaxanthin supplementation on IL-6 (SMD = −0.23, 95% CI: −0.65 to 0.20), and statistical heterogeneity was absent (I2 = 0.0%).”
Quoted verbatim from The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- healthy adults and athletes; meta-analysis pooling 3 RCT comparisons
Effect -0.23 standardised mean difference, 95% CI -0.65 to 0.2
The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.2026PMID:42197030Industry funded
No detected effect on total testosterone
PreliminaryGrade D, Preliminary. Non-human or in vitro only.FindingNull result“On the other hand, Olucan et al. (2021) did not observe any significant changes in testosterone levels in a formaldehyde toxicity model.”
Quoted verbatim from A systematic review and meta-analysis of astaxanthin efficacy in male infertility: evidence from clinical and preclinical studies.. - Study
- animal · not in humans
- Duration
- 14 days
- Dose
- 16 and 32 mg/kg, 14 days (Table 4)
- Population
- Wistar Albino rats; formaldehyde-induced testicular injury model (Ulucan et al. 2021)
A systematic review and meta-analysis of astaxanthin efficacy in male infertility: evidence from clinical and preclinical studies.2026PMID:41714744
No detected effect on C-reactive protein concentration
PreliminaryGrade D, Preliminary. Non-human or in vitro only.FindingNull result“The effects of astaxanthin on blood C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were not significant.”
Quoted verbatim from Astaxanthin supplementation mildly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients; meta-analysis pooling 12 RCTs
No detected effect on tumour necrosis factor alpha concentration
PreliminaryGrade D, Preliminary. Non-human or in vitro only.FindingNull result“The effects of astaxanthin on blood C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were not significant.”
Quoted verbatim from Astaxanthin supplementation mildly reduced oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.. - Study
- meta-analysis
- Population
- adults, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients; meta-analysis pooling 12 RCTs