This product has been effective at minimizing cell damage and breakdown, I haven noticed significantly healthier skin and hair and fewer grays! I am not saying it has eliminated my gray hairs, but has definitely decreased the amount that have appeared since I started taking this supplement! I highly recommend reading about it further... Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, a chemical found naturally in certain plants and animals. A type of algae makes astaxanthin. This algae is used as a source for the astaxanthin in supplements. Some types of seafood also contain astaxanthin. Astaxanthin gives salmon and lobster their reddish color, and flamingo feathers their pink hue. Why do people take astaxanthin? Astaxanthin is an antioxidant. That means it helps reduce a natural process in your body called oxidation. This process may play a role in many diseases and changes such as: Aging Cancer Heart disease Eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration Alzheimer's disease Parkinson's disease Astaxanthin can also reduce inflammation. It might be useful as a treatment for problems that involve inflammation, such as: Rheumatoid arthritis Carpal tunnel syndrome Laboratory research has found that an extract from algae that makes astaxanthin slowed the growth of breast and skin cancer cells. Astaxanthin might help the heart in a number of ways, as well. It may be helpful in preventing plaque buildup in arteries in the heart