Astaxanthin helps burn fat.

A recent study sponsored by Fuji Chemical Industry Co., suggests that AstaREAL astaxanthin, a dietary supplement used by athletes around the world, accelerates fat burning when combined with exercise by improving lipid metabolism.

Researchers found that astaxanthin protected the carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT I) function in mitochondria in mice during intense physical activity. Moreover, when combined with exercise, fat reduction increased for the astaxanthin-treated group, compared to exercise alone.

CPT I is an enzyme that supplies lipids to the mitochondria for energy production. During intense physical activity, muscle mitochondria produce high amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that could lead to CPT I oxidation resulting in decreased function of lipid transport. This study showed that AstaREAL astaxanthin protected CPT I against ROS, allowing the continual transport of fats into the mitochondria for energy production.

Fat utilization compared to carbohydrates was the predominant source of ATP energy, according to the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER). Furthermore, plasma lactate was significantly increased by exercise, while this elevation was suppressed by AstaREAL astaxanthin in the diet. As a result, the time to reach exhaustion significantly increased by 20% longer than the control group. After 4 weeks of AstaREAL intake, the body weight and epididymal fat showed a significant decrease compared to the exercise control and sedentary groups.

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