Dietary Synthetic Astaxanthin and Natural Astaxanthin From Haematococcus pluvialis and Phaffia Rhodozyma Improves the Growth, Antioxidant Capacity, Innate Immunity, and Pigmentation of Pacific White Shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ).
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Bench and animal research (aquaculture feeding trial without human data).
PubMed 41031291 · doi:10.1155/anu/8822600
What was done
Juvenile Pacific white shrimp (*Litopenaeus vannamei*, initial weight 1.15 ± 0.01 g) were fed either a control diet or one of three diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg astaxanthin from synthetic astaxanthin (SA), *Haematococcus pluvialis* (HP), or *Phaffia rhodozyma* (PR) for 56 days. Researchers evaluated growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, GST), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, apoptosis rates, immune and antioxidant gene expression (*Toll*, *IMD*, *CAT*), tissue pigmentation, and survival following an *Aeromonas hydrophila* challenge.
What was found
Growth performance was significantly higher in the natural astaxanthin groups (HP and PR) compared to controls (p < 0.05). All three astaxanthin diets significantly increased GPx and GST activities and decreased MDA levels in the intestine and hepatopancreas, while reducing apoptosis rates relative to controls (p < 0.05). Hepatopancreatic expression of *Toll*, *IMD*, and *CAT*, astaxanthin accumulation, pigmentation, and survival following *A. hydrophila* infection were significantly elevated in all astaxanthin groups compared to control (p < 0.05). Survival and coloration did not differ significantly among the three astaxanthin sources (p > 0.05). Exact values and effect sizes were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates that dietary astaxanthin improves physiological resilience, coloration, and disease resistance in farmed shrimp, highlighting that natural microalgal and yeast sources provide enhanced growth and antioxidant benefits over synthetic alternatives.
Limits
The total sample size (number of shrimp and replicate tanks) and exact quantitative values or effect sizes are not reported in the abstract. Findings are limited to juvenile *L. vannamei* at a single dosage level (20 mg/kg) over 56 days and do not extrapolate beyond aquaculture settings.
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- supports Astaxanthin is the carotenoid responsible for the pink color of shrimp and salmon.