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Astaxanthin Supplements Review

See Which Astaxanthin Products Passed or Failed CL's Tests

Latest Update
Problems with Astaxanthin
Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
 
Updated October 05, 2023 ⓘ Published July 23, 2021
Astaxanthin supplements reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Summary

  • What is astaxanthin?

    Astaxanthin is a red carotenoid and antioxidant that is naturally produced by microalgae and may also be produced synthetically (see What It Is).

  • What does astaxanthin do?

    Astaxanthin supplements are promoted for a wide variety of uses, such as increasing physical endurance, reducing inflammation, reducing wrinkles, protecting from sunburn, and lowering triglyceride levels. However, the evidence supporting these uses is mixed (see What It Does).

  • Which is the best astaxanthin supplement?

     All of the products tested in this review contained natural astaxanthin, however, one did not contain the full amount claimed. We found that some products were much less expensive than others, enabling you to get the same amount of astaxanthin for as little as one-third the cost. See ConsumerLab's Top Picks for low-dose and high-dose astaxanthin.

  • How do you take astaxanthin?

    Because astaxanthin is fat-soluble, take it with a meal that contains fats or oils to increase absorption. There is no established safe and effective dose for astaxanthin, but daily doses between 4 mg and 18 mg have shown some benefits without reported side effects in clinical studies, although long-term studies are needed. (See ConsumerTips). Red coloration of stool may occur at a dose of 20 mg or more (See Concerns and Cautions for more information).

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Astaxanthin supplement brands tested and compared in this review

View Larger Image 7536_large_BioAstin-Astaxanthin-2021.png

BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin 12 mg

View Larger Image 7537_large_CaliforniaGold-Astaxanthin-2021.png

California Gold Nutrition Astaxanthin 12 mg

View Larger Image 7541_large_Carlson-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Carlson Astaxanthin Gummies With Vitamin C - Natural Cherry Flavor

View Larger Image 7539_large_Deva-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Deva Vegan Astaxanthin

View Larger Image 7540_large_DoctorsBest-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Doctor's Best Astaxanthin With AstaReal

View Larger Image 7538_large_DrMErcola-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Dr. Mercola Astaxanthin

View Larger Image 7695_large_GNC-Astaxanthin-2022.png

GNC Astaxanthin

View Larger Image 7544_large_HealthyOrigins-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Healthy Origins Natural Astaxanthin

View Larger Image 7542_large_PuritansPride-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Puritan's Pride Natural Astaxanthin 5 mg

View Larger Image 7543_large_Solgar-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Solgar Natural Astaxanthin 5 mg

View Larger Image 7545_large_TruNature-Astaxanthin-2021.png

Trunature [Costco] Astaxanthin

You must be a member to get the full test results and quality ratings for astaxanthin supplements and ConsumerLab's recommendations. In this comprehensive review of astaxanthin supplements, you'll get test results and quality ratings for seven astaxanthin products selected for testing by ConsumerLab, as well as four other products that passed the same testing through our voluntary Quality Certification Program. In this comprehensive review you'll discover:  
  • Which astaxanthin supplements passed or failed our testing and why
  • ConsumerLab's Top Picks among astaxanthin supplements for quality and value
  • The clinical evidence for, or against, using astaxanthin for physical endurance, inflammatory conditions such rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, lowering triglycerides, and skin improvement
  • The amount and form of astaxanthin in each supplement and how these compare amounts used in clinical studies
  • Differences between the natural and synthetic forms of astaxanthin
  • What to look for on astaxanthin supplement labels
  • Astaxanthin dosage for specific uses
  • Potential side effects and drug interactions with astaxanthin

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Additional Information
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.