Astaxanthin is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth as a supplement. Astaxanthin has been used safely by itself in doses of 4 to 40 mg daily for up to 12 weeks. It has been used safely in combination with other carotenoids, vitamins and minerals at 4 mg daily for up to 12 months. Early research suggests that a combination product (BioAstin) containing astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E taken by mouth 3 times daily for 8 weeks does not reduce pain in people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Microglial cells are involved in protecting the brain and spinal cord from parasitic infections, as well. The phagocytosis of cerebral malaria and management of the damage caused by it is one example. Plasmodium falciparum is a parasite that causes malaria in humans.
Like the thymus, the spleen houses and aids in the maturation of immune system cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that protect against foreign organisms that have managed to infect body cells. Lymphocytes also protect the body from itself by controlling cancerous cells. The spleen is valuable to the immune response against antigens in the blood.