Astaxanthin and the immune response

"…The effect of carotenoids on in vitro Ig production by human peripheral and cord blood cells was then examined in humans.

Blood samples from adult volunteers and full-term newborn babies were cultured with and without carotenoid supplementation, and then were stimulated by T-dependent stimulant. Astaxanthin enhanced IgG, A, and M production in response to Tdependent antigens and a T-dependent stimulant, while the effect of β-carotene was negligible (Jyonouchi et al., 1995b)…"