Possible Interaction: Astaxanthin and Beta Carotene

“Concentrations of plasma astaxanthin (20 to 28 mumol/L) were greater (P < 0.05) than that of beta-carotene (0.1 to 0.2 mumol/L) and canthaxanthin (3 to 6 mmol/L).”

“Mammary tumor growth inhibition by astaxanthin was dose-dependent and was higher than that of canthaxanthin and beta-carotene.”

“In plasma the concentration of astaxanthin (4.9-54.7 mumol/l) was dramatically higher than that of lutein (1.4-2.0 mumol/l) and beta-carotene (0.1-0.7 mumol/l).”

“Two of them were blocked in the biosynthesis of astaxanthin , M6 (orange; 1% astaxanthin, 71 times more beta-carotene) and M7 (orange; 1% astaxanthin, 58 times more beta-carotene , 135% canthaxanthin), whereas the rest produced lower levels of astaxanthin (5-66%) than the parental strain.”

“Absorbencies of a series of the standard carotenoids in the range of 441 nm … spectra accorded with Beer's law and that the additivity when the concentrations of beta-carotene … astaxanthin and their mixture were within the range of 0 … microg/ml, and 0 to 6 microg/ml, respectively.”

“Both compounds inhibited production of lipid peroxides, astaxanthin being about 2-fold more effective than beta-carotene.”

“Carotenoids with carbonyl groups astaxanthin and canthaxanthin) have slower rates of degradation than beta-carotene and zeaxanthin, indicating preferential nondegradative protonation of the carbonyl groups.”