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well-being and the ability to concentrate and perform. Professional gamers, who spend an above average amount of time in front of computer screens, often experience problems with rapidly fatiguing eyes and difficulty focusing.
Technological and natural defence Anti-glare filters for computer monitors or wearable technologies, such as special gaming glasses are some technological options to reduce blue light hazards. However, there are natural options too. As in other competitive sports, nutrition can make an important contribution to professional video gamers’ health and performance. The human organism has natural defence systems to maintain oxidative balance and protect itself from ROS induced negative effects. The ocular surface is equipped with several different antioxidants, like lutein, that prevent the formation of free radicals generated by exposure to short-wave blue light. They act as a buffer system, neutralising ROS to maintain the overall cellular redox balance in the eye. The effective reduction of oxidative damage caused by free radicals through the supplementation of antioxidants has already been scientifically proven. An adequate supply of antioxidants in the diet supports the body’s own defence systems and promotes the maintenance of oxidative balance. Dietary supplementation with the natural antioxidants astaxanthin has shown to support the maintenance of good visual performance, even if the substance is not naturally occurring in human eyes. Astaxanthin is one of the few ingredients that, similar to lutein, can cross the blood- brain barrier and therefore deposit in the retina, providing antioxidant and anti- inflammatory protection to the eyes.
The red diamond
In nature astaxanthin is found in photosynthetic organisms such as bacteria, algae, and yeasts. The highest concentrations of natural astaxanthin can be obtained from the freshwater microalgae haematococcus pluvialis, providing the best bioavailability.
Due to its enormous antioxidant power, astaxanthin is considered the red diamond among radical scavengers. For example, it is 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C in
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The powerful carotenoid of astaxanthin protects eyes from oxidative damage.
neutralising singlet oxygen, and yet, unlike other antioxidants, it is non-prooxidative due to its unique molecular structure. This means astaxanthin neutralises free radicals without forming such radicals itself. In general, antioxidants such as astaxanthin act against oxidative stress, and protect the human organism from inflammations and their consequences during stressful periods.
High focus
The positive effect of astaxanthin on eye health and visual function has already been verified in several clinical studies. The powerful carotenoid protects eyes from oxidative damage by declining ROS levels and other biomarkers for oxidative stress and thereby inhibits cell apoptosis and promotes cell survival as well as the ability of ciliary muscles to focus. It was shown that astaxanthin supplementation counteracts eye fatigue, eye irritation and blurred vision by quenching cellular inflammation that occurs with prolonged visual stress and ciliary muscle tension. In a study on sports vision, a 46% improvement in depth perception was observed after subjects took 6mg of astaxanthin for four weeks. A further study showed that similar astaxanthin supplementation significantly reduced symptoms associated with asthenopia such as dry eyes and blurred vision, compared with the control group. Additional clinical studies have shown that astaxanthin can improve capillary blood
circulation in the eyes and thus combat the development of ocular diseases. Low quality of antioxidant capacity of blood and blood fluid can lead to disruption of capillary circulation of the eye.
In South Korea and Canada, there are approved health claims for astaxanthin, “supports eye health” and “helps with eye fatigue”, that highlight the efficacy of the ingredient for eye health. Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects as well as its capability to cross the blood-brain barrier, a number of studies also suggest that natural astaxanthin supplementation reduces mental fatigue on stressful days. As reactive free radicals and inflammation are responsible for degenerative processes throughout the entire body, powerful antioxidants have a wide range of applications. That’s why there are many clinical trials focusing on a wide range of topics in this field.
Supplementation of astaxanthin in esports can therefore not only make a significant contribution to eye health and vision, but also maintain the overall oxidative balance and thus inhibit inflammation in the entire body to improve general well-being and performance. The intake of natural astaxanthin can contribute to improved cognitive performance, reduced mental fatigue and better physical performance in esports athletes. ●
www.bdi-biolifescience.com 23
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