Clinical trial backs AstaReal astaxanthin for fat burning in active women
Key takeaways
- A new clinical study demonstrates that taking AstaReal astaxanthin daily significantly increases fat burning during moderate exercise for active women.
- The metabolic improvements occurred without increasing heart rate, blood lactate, or perceived exertion, suggesting energy efficiency was enhanced without extra strain.
- The findings provide clinical data on active women, which remains a largely underserved population in sports nutrition research.
New clinical findings demonstrate that AstaReal’s branded astaxanthin drives women’s metabolic balance toward fat burning for energy during exercise. This evidence suggests that astaxanthin may support steadier energy levels and more efficient sports performance, by helping the body burn more fat instead of carbohydrates for fuel.
The study evaluated 20 recreationally active women — a population that is historically underrepresented in sports nutrition research. With exercise performance studies typically focused on men, the researchers note the study offers some of the first clinical evidence of meaningful metabolic benefits in women.
“These findings reinforce a shift in sports nutrition from simply increasing output to improving metabolic efficiency,” says study author Hunter Waldman, Ph.D., a sports nutrition researcher at the University of North Alabama, US.
“Rather than pushing the body to work harder, AstaReal astaxanthin optimizes how it produces and utilizes cellular energy, making it a powerful performance multiplier.”
Measurable metabolic impact
According to AstaReal, astaxanthin is one of the few nutrients with a measurable metabolic impact in female athletes.
Published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study assigned women to supplement with 12 mg of AstaReal astaxanthin daily for two weeks, separated by a two-week washout period before transitioning to the placebo, or vice versa.
Study authors evaluated the participants’ energy-use efficiency by grading their cycling exercise over a 30-minute period consisting of six five-minute stages, ramping up from 40% to 65% with 5% incremental increases per stage.
During the last minute of each stage, they measured the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), which is considered a gold-standard biomarker that reveals the balance between fat and carbohydrate used for energy production.
Compared to a placebo, women supplementing with astaxanthin demonstrated statistically significant fat oxidation improvements during moderate exercise.Compared with a placebo, the women supplementing with astaxanthin demonstrated statistically significant fat oxidation improvements during moderate exercise.
While there was no significant interaction between the supplement and intensity, the researchers observed a main effect for both exercise intensity and the supplement itself, which confirmed that overall RER was significantly lower following astaxanthin supplementation.
During this level of activity, the researchers explain that fat utilization is naturally highest, and metabolic shifts can meaningfully support smoother workouts and endurance adaptations.
They note that these improvements occurred without increases in heart rate, blood lactate — a byproduct created during exercise that indicates fatigue — or perceived exertion, indicating enhanced energy efficiency without additional cardiovascular or perceptual stress.
Building on astaxanthin research
Conducted within the AstaReal Network for Sports Nutrition, the study adds to AstaReal’s body of research, including more than 85 human clinical studies that demonstrate astaxanthin’s support for cellular energy, metabolic resilience, and recovery.
AstaReal astaxanthin is available in multiple ingredient formats and concentrations.The company also offers blends of astaxanthin with other functional ingredients. Most recently, it launched Magnesium Total by Astaxin, a supplement containing a mix of magnesium forms in a vegetable capsule.
In other product developments, the company introduced a vegan vitamin D3+K2 supplement made from lichen, a natural and sustainable alternative to the animal-derived lanolin. It was developed to help maintain strong bones, normal muscle function, and a well-functioning immune system.
Earlier this year, AstaReal introduced Membralife, a series of sea buckthorn products developed to treat and prevent dry skin and mucous membranes. It comprises two products — a dietary supplement in capsule form and a serum. The Membralife dietary supplement contains organic sea buckthorn oil with natural omega-7 content, other polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E.
