Astaxanthin is the secret super ingredient no one has ever heard of but really should! It belongs to a group of chemicals called carotenoids and occurs naturally in certain algae and causes the pink or red colour in salmon, trout, lobster, shrimp, and other seafood. It is also what gives flamingos their flamboyant hue, as they feed on this micro-algae. We are so excited about the potential benefits of this awesome ingredient that we have added it to each of the 60 cherry flavoured Manifesto Beauty Gummies you’ll find nestling inside our planet-friendly packaging.
So, what does Astaxanthin do?
Beautiful creatures they may be, no one wants to look like a Flamingo, (do they?) So, what’s in Astaxanthin for us? The answer is lots. Of good stuff. When it comes to inside-outside selfcare, it turns out that this clever carotenoid is much more than just a pretty colour.
Surprise Facts: In fact, research suggests that Astaxanthin is an antioxidant around 6,000 times more powerful than Vitamin C and 550 times more potent than green tea.
Studies have shown that taking Astaxanthin is incredibly safe and does not cause serious side effects. Therefore, unsurprisingly, Astaxanthin, with its ability to reduce oxidative damage, promote healthy levels of inflammation, and detoxify the body and fight against the factors that cause pro-inflammatory and oxidative conditions, has been shown to help reduce the changes we often see associated with aging.
Why take antioxidants?
For anyone that needs reminding, it’s antioxidants that help protect our cells against free radicals and reduce inflammation. They’re an invisible force doing an important job.
Inflammation is the body’s response to certain toxins created by factors such as stress, excessive sugar intake, poor diet, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol intake and air pollution.
It’s also thought to be responsible for a whole host of age-related diseases and symptoms, including heart disease, cancer, dementia, and eyesight degeneration. Most recently, The Sunday Times reported on a clinical study showing positive improvement to cognitive health and memory in those who took a daily dose of Astaxanthin.
Most experts agree that reducing inflammation is the way to go. As well as protecting you on the inside, keeping inflammation to a minimum can help to keep your ‘outside’ in tip top condition too.
Astaxanthin has been shown to help boost the skin’s natural collagen production, hydration levels and skin elasticity, meaning it might just hold the key to a more youthful, plumped up glow. Clinical research has even shown that taking Astaxanthin significantly increases the amount of time people can stay out in the sun before getting burned. We won’t be testing that theory though.
Where does Astaxanthin come from?
In its most potent form, Astaxanthin is found in haematococcus pluvialis algae and that’s how the flamingos are getting theirs. Algae is a flamingo’s favourite foodstuff with (pink) benefits.
The plus point for Manifesto is that this plentiful algae source is renewable and vegan. We checked that there was plenty to go around before adding it to our delicious cherry-infused Manifesto BEAUTY gummies - alongside a carefully curated list of more skin, hair and nail-boosting nutrients.
Find out more about Astaxanthin.