Battle mental and physical fatigue with these science-backed supplements

Thursday, December 01, 2016 by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: astaxanthin, mental health, fatigue

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(NaturalNews) According to Big Pharma and the so-called 'medical establishment,' vitamin and nutrient supplements have absolutely no medical value, and anyone who buys them is just wasting their money.

But facts are much more profound than propaganda, and when such Big Pharma claims are soundly refuted by reputable studies and validated science, it makes those who traffic in legal drugs for a living look as ignorant as they are biased.

One of those daily supplements is astaxanthin, which is the pink pigment that gives salmon its color; researchers have found that it boosts the body's antioxidant defenses.

But now, a nutraceutical firm in Japan says that anstaxanthin has been found to also be effective against mental and physical fatigue in a just-published study, Prevent Disease reports.

Globally, the astaxanthin market is estimated at about $200 million a year in 2015. Most of it is used as a pigment to enhance the pink hue of fish like salmon. But human uses for the supplement are increasing as well, and that portion is estimated to be between $35 - $60 million annually, according to 2008 data from analytical firm Frost & Sullivan, a San Antonio-based marketing research firm.

Researchers note that astaxanthin's primary health benefits are for the eyes and skin, but it has also been linked to joint and central nervous system health, while having an antioxidant content that is 500 times greater than vitamin E.

Reduced symptoms of physical and mental fatigue

The latest research, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Therapeutics & Medicines, says that people were treated with AstaReal astaxanthin for eight weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. It also said that the study was designed to induce fatigue and stress, that of which is similar to the levels encountered in normal, daily life.

In addition, researchers added a mental challenge, where study participants were subjected to several timed calculations (the Uchida-Kraepelin test), along with a physical test using a bicycle ergometer. Fatigue metrics where assessed before and after the stressor tests.

Researchers used 39 healthy participants for the study who reported fatigue, and divided them into two groups. Participants in the astaxanthin group were given 12 mg of the supplement along with 20 mg of tocotrienols for eight weeks. The control group was just given 20 mg or tocotrienols for the same period (tocotrienols are members of the vitamin E family).

Using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) analysis, researchers found that AstaReal astaxanthin significantly reduced perceived symptoms of physical and mental fatigue, when compared to the placebo. As Prevent Disease noted, this included improvements in thinking clarity, motivation, concentration and mood. Irritability and feelings of sluggishness also declined, researchers noted.

'This is the first time a natural ingredient has been shown to improve a common health complaint'

In a calculation test, scientists found that an increase in errors that were seen in the placebo group during the second stage of the test were nearly eliminated in the group taking astaxanthin. In addition, participants in that group also experienced significantly reduced cortisol levels in saliva, a biomarker for stress.

"The results suggest that astaxanthin supplementation has beneficial effects on fatigue encountered in daily life," scientists concluded.

Dr. Robert Corish, the medical advisor for AstaReal, said that the trial evaluated the most common type of fatigue that most people experience during normal days, both mentally and physically. He added that the study's results demonstrate that the product is capable of diminishing "the most common complaint heard by physicians today." He said that in his experience, "this is the first time that a natural ingredient has been shown to improve" the commonly occurring condition of fatigue.

Earlier studies have also linked typically algae-sourced astaxanthin to improved skin health, anti-aging, cardiovascular health, better cognitive function and boosted immune properties. But despite sound science backing these claims, the establishment medical community and Big Pharma refuse to acknowledge it and continue to push medicinal 'solutions' to health problems.

Sources:

PreventDisease.com

Science.NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com