Astaxanthin

Compoundantioxidant

Red xanthophyll carotenoid produced by the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis and concentrated in salmon, krill, and shrimp that feed on it. Lipid-soluble antioxidant studied for mitochondrial function, skin UV protection, and exercise endurance.

Food sources

Wild Salmon

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Recent research mentioning Astaxanthin

[Multiple peer-reviewed astaxanthin studies] astaxanthin in wild salmon — concentration update
Multiple peer-reviewed astaxanthin studies · Multiple peer-reviewed astaxanthin studies · 2026-06-01ai deep research

Continuously updated by the research discovery pipeline. New citations appear automatically within a day of publication.

How it works

Astaxanthin is a keto-carotenoid within a group of chemical compounds known as carotenoids, a subclass of the broad group of phytochemicals known as terpenes.

Source: Wikipedia

Chemistry

IUPAC name: (6S)-6-hydroxy-3-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-18-[(4S)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexen-1-yl]-3,7,12,16-tetramethyloctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one
Formula: C40H52O4
PubChem: CID 5281224 →

Source: PubChem (NIH, public domain)

Learn more

Wikipedia →PubChem CID 5281224 →

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