Benefits of Exercise and Astaxanthin Supplementation: Are There Additive or Synergistic Effects?

Abstract

A healthy lifestyle is essential for maintaining physical and mental health. Health promotion, with a particular emphasis on regular exercise and a healthy diet, is one of the emerging trends in healthcare. However, the way in which exercise training and nutrients from dietary intake interact with each other to promote additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects on physiological functions leading to health promotion, and the possible underlying biomolecular mechanisms of such interactions, remain poorly understood. A healthy diet is characterized by a high intake of various bioactive compounds usually found in natural, organic, and fresh foodstuffs. Among these bioactive compounds, astaxanthin (ASX), a red carotenoid pigment especially found in seafood, has been recognized in the scientific literature as a potential nutraceutical due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurotrophic properties. Therefore, scientists are currently exploring whether this promising nutrient can increase the well-known benefits of exercise on health and disease prevention. Hence, the present review aimed to compile and summarize the current scientific evidence for ASX supplementation in association with exercise regimes, and evaluate the additive or synergistic effects on physiological functions and health when both interventions are combined. The new insights into the combination paradigm of exercise and nutritional supplementation raise awareness of the importance of integrative studies, particularly for future research directions in the field of health and sports nutrition science.

Astaxanthin Supplementation as a Potential Strategy for Enhancing Mitochondrial Adaptations in the Endurance Athlete: An Invited Review

“…For endurance athletes interested in AX supplementation, the current recommendations for dosages range from 4–12 mg/d to elicit a potential ergogenic effect [ 24 , 25 ]. As outlined earlier, AX may exert a greater range of benefits for those recreationally trained compared to the elite endurance athlete, although this is simply a hypothesis drawn from the current literature.…”

“…Moreover, AMPK’s downstream effects, such as its ability to induce mitochondrial biogenesis through its regulation of PGC1-α gene expression, suggest that supplements such as AX may offer a metabolic and training advantage when dosed appropriately and supplemented chronically. When reviewing the evidence from AX supplementation in animal models with markers of endurance performance as the dependent variable of interest, the data are overwhelmingly positive [ 25 ]. While these findings from animal models do have important implications for the endurance athlete, similar studies in humans are currently limited and mixed, as detailed below.…”

“…Unlike other carotenoids which can exhibit pro-oxidative properties (lycopene and β-carotene), AX is deemed a “pure antioxidant” as it only exhibits antioxidant properties without the ability to convert to a pro-oxidant [ 23 ]. While AX can be found in certain fungi, as well as consumed from specific aquatic organisms such as krill, shrimp, and salmon, it is primarily supplemented through a microalgae ( Haematococcus pluvialis ), allowing a person to achieve the AX range of 4–12 mg/day often implemented in research to obtain potential health and performance benefits [ 24 , 25 ].…”

Astaxanthin Supplementation Augments the Benefits of CrossFit Workouts on Semaphorin 3C and Other Adipokines in Males with Obesity

“…Although there is less available evidence about the precise mechanism by which ASX supplementa-tion acts, it is postulated that the favorable effects of ASX may be attributed to its impact on the secretion of adipokines, akin to other bioactive chemicals such as capsaicin. Although a recent review study found that combined ASX supplementation and exercise did not improve exercise performance [29], it is unknown whether a combination of ASX supplementation and exercise produces beneficial effects on metabolic health in obese individuals. Furthermore, the effects of ASX supplementation on adipokines in the present study are currently unclear [29].…”

Evaluation of the Anti-Obesity Effect of Zeaxanthin and Exercise in HFD-Induced Obese Rats

“…Recent research on healthcare emphasizes regular exercise and a healthy diet. How diet and exercise training interact to produce synergistic or antagonistic effects on physiological functions that lead to health promotion and the possible mechanisms underlying such interactions are still poorly understood [ 22 ]. The combination of functional food consumption and exercise can cause changes in body metabolism [ 23 ].…”