Astaxanthin might benefit HDL-C and CRP
High-dose prolonged ASX supplementation might show beneficial effects on both HDL-C and CRP.
As a lot of potential beneficious effects for astaxanthin supplementation are rumored based on animal and lab tests, actual human data is still sparse. In a 2020 meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials (RCT), Xia et al. report their findings in Elsevier's Pharmacological Research.
The findings of their stratified analysis were sparse:
Astaxanthin (ASX) supplementation was associated with an increase in HDL-C and a decrease in CRP; but the latter was only true for prolonged supplementations (> 12 weeks) and higher doses (> 12 mg/day).
HDL-C is "high density lipoprotein cholesterol", which is considered the "good", cardiovascular protective cholesterol, one of the hallmark findings of the Framingham Heart Study. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammation and e.g. associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.
As trial sizes were small and effects limited in both quantity and quality, conclusions should be drawn with appropriate caution.
There might be pale signs for a beneficial effect on HDL-C and CRP for a prolonged supplementation of ASX (>12 weeks; 12 mg/day).