Astaxanthin has natural anti-inflammatory properties, but unlike prescription analgesics, it comes with no risk of addiction, heartburn, or gastrointestinal ulcers. Specifically, natural forms of astaxanthin block inflammatory COX2 enzymes, while at the same time suppressing serum levels of nitric oxide, interleukin 1B, prostaglandin E2, C Reactive Protein (CRP), and TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha).