Abstract
PURPOSE: Chronic fatigue is prevalent in elderly subjects. Recent studies demonstrated that astaxanthin supplementation improved aerobic performance for exercise in animals. In addition, we also reported that astaxanthin attenuated capillary regression of atrophied muscle in animals. Due to the current lack of clarity, we examined whether three month of dietary astaxanthin supplementation can influence walking performance and blood lactate level after walking in community-dwelling elderly individuals. METHODS: Twenty-nine community-dwelling healthy volunteer subjects (80.9 ± 1.5 y.o.) were enrolled in this study, and were randomly assigned into two groups: one received placebo capsules (placebo group, n = 13), while the other received astaxanthin capsules (astaxanthin group, n = 16). The subjects ingested either astaxanthin (every 12 mg, 2 times/day) or placebo (every 12 mg, 2 times/day of vitamin E) capsules every day for the three-month study period. Subjects performed 6-min walking distance (6MWD), the measurements of derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (D-ROM) and blood lactate prior to and post treatment. Written informed consent was obtained from the subjects after being fully informed regarding the details and methods of this study. RESULTS: Astaxanthin supplementation resulted in a decrease of the D-ROM value (P < 0.01) but not placebo. There was a treatment effect on 6MWD in astaxanthin group compared with placebo group (P < 0.05). The distance and step number during 6-min walking test in astaxanthin group were higher than those in placebo group. Furthermore, the rate of increase in blood lactate after walking was lower in astaxanthin group (P < 0.01) than in placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that astaxanthin supplementation may be an effective treatment to counter the declined physical performance and detrimental effects of aging. Supported by Fuji Chemical Industry (Toyama, Japan).
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