Astaxanthin Study with Beagles
The WSU study involved both young and geriatric healthy female Beagles. The dogs were fed 20 mgs of astaxanthin daily for 16 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at the start of the study, again at 8 weeks, and again at completion of the trial.
Mitochondrial function improved in both the young and elderly Beagles. In the older dogs, astaxanthin supplementation increased ATP production, mitochondria mass, and cytochrome c oxidoreductase activity. In the young dogs, astaxanthin increased the reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione ratio. It decreased nitric oxide in all the dogs.