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Antioxidant May Protect Heart During Chemotherapy

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Cancer patients treated with doxorubicin, a common chemotherapy drug, may suffer heart damage, including reduced heart function, irregular heart rhythms and heart failure. A 2025 study published in Nature investigated whether astaxanthin, a natural antioxidant found in certain seafood and algae, could help reduce the damage.

The researchers divided study rats into a group that received only doxorubicin, two groups that received doxorubicin along with different doses of astaxanthin, and a control group. They used ultrasound scans to check blood markers for heart injury, examined heart tissue, measured cellular energy levels and analyzed proteins related to mitochondrial health.

Rats given doxorubicin alone experienced heart damage, mitochondrial disruptions and lower energy levels in the heart. By contrast, rats treated with astaxanthin showed improved heart function compared to the doxorubicin group, fewer signs of injury, healthier heart tissue and higher cellular energy levels. Astaxanthin also protected the structure and function of mitochondria.

Further research in humans is needed to confirm whether astaxanthin could safely and effectively be used alongside chemotherapy.

In-Print National Content Global and Health Briefs Health Brief January 2026

 

 

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Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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