Many antioxidants, even some of the more potent ones, are unable to cross both your blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers to reach your brain, nervous system, and eyes.

Astaxanthin is different. Along with its rare ability to cross these protective barriers, it also helps protect your brain, eye tissue and just about every cell from free radicals (as many as 19 at a time) and other substances that can cause oxidative damage and cellular aging.*

Having up to 6,000 times the quenching power of other well-known antioxidants, astaxanthin offers astounding potential for many functions, including cellular energy production, cognitive and psychomotor function, eye and skin health, immune function, a normal inflammatory response and cardiovascular health.

With each passing year, it becomes increasingly important to protect your vital organs, especially your brain.

What from? Free radicals and other substances that can cause oxidative damage and faster cellular aging.

The best way to get this protection is from antioxidant nutrients found in healthy foods whenever possible. However, to be effective, the nutrients must be able to cross through what are known as your blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers.

Your blood-brain barrier, or the tight junction of endothelial cells inside your brain?s capillaries, separates your brain?s blood vessels from your brain tissue. It allows oxygen and glucose to cross for proper functioning but restricts other molecules to protect your brain cells.

Similarly, your blood-retinal barrier safeguards the tissue of your eye?s retina.

These important barriers defend your brain, central nervous system and eyes against unwanted substances, like toxins and pathogens, that may be in your blood. They also help maintain constant levels of nutrients, hormones and water.

However, only certain nutrients can pass through your blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers. Many important antioxidants that provide protection against free radicals and other damaging oxygen molecules can?t slip through easily.

Right before the turn of the 21st century, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University confirmed an important trait of what may be the most significant antioxidant ever discovered ? astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin was indeed able to cross both the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers to enter the brain and eye tissue ? a rare ability for any antioxidant.

How This Little-Known Carotenoid Offers Exceptional Support

What else makes astaxanthin stand out among other antioxidants besides its unique ability to cross your blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers?

Astaxanthin is related to beta-carotene, lutein and canthaxanthin ? all very powerful carotenoid antioxidants on their own. However, because of its unique molecular structure, astaxanthin is even more potent and versatile in its actions, including these 7 key differences from other antioxidants:

1. It has far more electrons to donate to neutralize free radicals than most other antioxidants, allowing it to remain active and intact longer.*
2. It can handle multiple free radicals, sometimes more than 19 at one time, unlike most other antioxidants that can typically deal with only one at a time.*
3. It can protect both water- and fat-soluble parts of your cells, including your cells? mitochondria.*
4. It cannot act as a pro-oxidant, or cause oxidation, like many antioxidants, even at higher doses.*
5. It acts on at least five different inflammation pathways, supporting your body?s already healthy normal inflammatory response.*
6. Because it is lipid-soluble and larger and longer than other carotenoids, it can become part of your cell membrane and span its entire thickness to help stabilize and protect both the inner and outer cell membrane from oxidative damage.*

Astaxanthin also protects your mitochondria from free radical damage. Your mitochondria are the energy factories in every cell in your body ? the factories that produce energy, giving life to your cells. They also need protection from those free radicals.*

Plus, when compared to other nutrients and antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and neutralize potentially damaging singlet oxygen in your cells and tissues, astaxanthin really excels.

10 Ways Astaxanthin Can Help You Take Control of Your Health?

Because astaxanthin can reach just about every cell in your body and help protect the membrane and internal systems of your mitochondria, it may also help:

1. Boost cellular energy production.*
2. Reduce oxidative damage to mitochondria and cellular DNA.*
3. Promote an already healthy normal inflammatory response, potentially leading to greater comfort, flexibility and mobility.*
4. Support immune function and cellular health.*
5. Cognitive and psychomotor function*
6. Promote healthy blood glucose levels already in the normal range.*
7. Supports your eye?s health and energy levels*
8. Maintain a youthful appearance, maintain skin elasticity and reduce the visible signs of skin aging.*
9. Promote healthy blood lipid levels already in the normal range.*
10. Prevent joint discomfort following exercise.*

Because astaxanthin protects your mitochondria?s membranes, the parts of your body that are most mitochondrial-dense, like your heart, brain, liver and muscles, may especially benefit.*