ID 1688 -
Astaksantyna
PL: Astaksantyna
EN: Astaxanthin
Pdf: astaxanthin
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin is a red (non-provitamin A) oxygenated carotenoid found in phytoplankton, and is responsible for the colour of certain fish (e.g. salmon) and shellfish (e.g. crab).
Astaxanthin occurs naturally in foods and also in synthetic forms as free astaxanthin or in the form of esters. Astaxanthin is absorbed into the bloodstream as the free form, and bioavailability can be enhanced in lipid matrices. Astaxanthin is measurable in foods by established methods.
The Panel considers that the food constituent, astaxanthin, which is the subject of the health claims, is sufficiently characterised.
2.3. Udział w prawidłowym tworzeniu plemników (spermatogenezie) (ID 1688)
The claimed effect is “sperms motility”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general male population.
In the context of the proposed wordings and references provided, the Panel assumes that the claimed effect refers to normal spermatogenesis.
The Panel considers that contribution to normal spermatogenesis is a beneficial physiological effect.
3.3. Udział w prawidłowym tworzeniu plemników (spermatogenezie) (ID 1688)
Two references were submitted for the scientific substantiation of the claim.
In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled human intervention study, 20 men with infertility for ≥12 months received conventional treatment according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), and either astaxanthin (16 mg/day, n=11) or placebo (n=9) for three months. Ten additional patients receiving placebo who had participated in another parallel, placebo-controlled trial were included in the analysis. No statistically significant differences were observed between the astaxanthin and placebo groups with respect to changes in any of the variables used to assess sperm quality (e.g. sperm concentration, linear velocity, grade (a) motility, sperm morphology, ejaculate volume, zona-free hamster oocytes test, spermatozoa firmly attached/oocytes, and decondensed sperm heads/oocytes) during the study. The Panel notes that this study did not show an effect of astaxanthin consumption on sperm quality.
An animal study on the effects of astaxanthin consumption on semen quality and fertility in stallions during the breeding period (Heczko, 2004) was also provided. The Panel considers that evidence provided in animal studies is not sufficient to predict the occurrence of an effect of astaxanthin consumption on contribution to normal spermatogenesis in humans.
In weighing the evidence, the Panel took into account that the one human intervention study provided did not show an effect of astaxanthin, compared to placebo, on various measures of sperm quality in males.
The Panel concludes that a cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of astaxanthin and contribution to normal spermatogenesis.
Warunki i możliwe ograniczenia stosowania oświadczenia
Daglig dos 16 mg astaxanthin.
Effekt uppnås efter regelbunden användning i 3 månader.
