While strenuous exercise may have some detrimental effects on immune function, astaxanthin may be one ingredient to help preserve antibodies.
 
Supplementation with the carotenoid astaxanthin daily may help to preserve one measure of immune function which ordinarily is effected during the post-workout period. In a clinical study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, a daily dose of eight milligrams of astaxanthin offset exercise-induced decreases in 20 plasma immunoglobulins. The most significant effect was on IgM, a predominant antibody produced in early immune responses.
 
The study provided a comprehensive look at physiological responses to astaxanthin supplementation post-exercise with untargeted proteomics, which tracked 500 proteins across all participants’ samples. Additionally, the researchers evaluated a targeted panel of oxylipins and cytokines.
 
The study was conducted in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover fashion (two four-week supplementation periods with a two-week washout period between) on 19 healthy, non-smoking male and female runners between 18 and 57. Astaxanthin supplementation prior to 2.25 hours of running at 70% VO2max had a strong impact on balancing post-exercise drops in a total of 82 immune-related proteins, compared to placebo, with 20 of those proteins exhibiting a significant relationship.
 
No differences were observed between the groups in delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), creatine, cortisol, six cytokines, and 42 oxylipins.
 
The astaxanthin used in the study was an algae-derived ingredient manufactured by Lycored. Previous studies have linked the ingredient to parameters of cellular health, skin health, heart health, joint health, immune support, and antioxidant and inflammatory-modulating activity, noted Elizabeth Tarshish, PhD, head of claims and clinical affairs at Lycored. “From this study, we learned that during recovery, algae-derived astaxanthin normalizes 20 immunoglobulins in those with increased inflammation from recurrent physiological stress–runners. Our hope is that providing a natural, plant-based solution with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties can help active individuals feel and perform at their best, during and following exercise.”