Brain Health: Astaxanthin and Alzheimer’s Prevention

Approximately 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and many experts say that the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia will triple on our lifetimes. These are frightening statistics about a frightening disease, but the news is not all grim. Recent announcements have shown groundbreaking progress in the field of Alzheimer’s prevention and even possibly reversal.

Amazing Discoveries About Our Brains, Or Beliefs and Our Biology

As with many diseases, lifestyle factors contribute immensely to development and progression. Scientists are discovering that while genes do play a role in our propensity towards specific illnesses, it is our environment, diet, lifestyle choices and even beliefs which determine whether we will, in fact, become afflicted. Renowned cell biologist Bruce Lipton has written extensively on this subject, and his findings are both spectacular and game-changing in how we view health and disease. Dr. Lipton’s incredible book The Biology of Belief offers deep and profound insight into this new science. Also of great importance to the subject of brain health and our ability to prevent, cure and ward off Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer and other diseases are neurologist (and brain cancer survivor) David Servan-Schreiber’s Anticancer, A New Way of Life and the amazing book The Brain that Changes Itself, full of incredible new scientific evidence of just how incredibly resilient our brains are. This is incredible news for stroke victims as well, as evidenced in the brilliant book by brain scientist and stroke survivor Jill Bolte Taylor, A Stroke of Insight.

Astaxanthin to Prevent or Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease

Recently Dr. Oz spoke on his popular health show about a natural supplement called astaxanthin. On the same day he interviewed health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola about coconut oil for Alzheimer’s, they also talked about this little-known substance and its promising features. Astaxanthin is a natural pigment which, with daily supplementation, helps reduce the accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides, which are known as ‘dementia markers.’

According to Dr. Mercola, “These compounds accumulate in the red blood cells of people who suffer from dementia, and scientists now believe that astaxanthin could help prevent dementia, including Alzheimer’s.” Citing a study published in the British Journal Journal of Nutrition, he tells us essentially that the results of astaxanthin supplementation are promising in contributing to the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Astaxanthin is part of a family of natural pigments called carotenoids, and is the same pigment which turns the feathers of flamingos pink as they mature, because their diet is high in this crustaceans (think of the pink of shrimp). Astaxanthin acts as a free-radical scavenger, and as with any anti-oxidant it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Helping to prevent damage to our cells and tissues from the ravages of oxidation (known to be involved in the processes of aging), this along with other powerful supernutrients such as the popular açai berry and purple carrot juice, can help with many aspects of optimal health. The rage around astaxanthin seems to be well founded, however, as it apparently is by far the most powerful and concentrated carotenoid antioxidant when it comes to free radical scavenging, being 65 times more powerful than vitamin C, 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene, and 14 times more powerful than vitamin E. Wow!

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