Updated November 2026. Label facts checked on 5 November 2026 on each brand's own UK website. Verve makes one of the products below (Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules), so read the table before you read our view.
Nine UK brands sell astaxanthin as capsules or softgels, and their labels differ in four ways that matter more than the front of the pack: how much astaxanthin a serving gives (4mg to 18mg where a figure is stated; two labels give an extract or algae weight instead), whether the source is named (seven name the alga Haematococcus pluvialis, one says microalgae, one says nothing), whether it is dry powder in a plant capsule or an oil-filled softgel with a carrier oil and sometimes vitamin E, and what testing is stated. No label prints a purity percentage and no page links a certificate; one brand supplies one on request. Astaxanthin is a red carotenoid pigment made by the freshwater microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, the pigment that colours salmon and krill; that is the chemistry, and this article makes no claim beyond it. Here are the nine UK astaxanthin products that come up most often, compared on their labels.
The short answer
- Highest astaxanthin per serving, one ingredient in a plant capsule, 30 to try: Verve Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules, 18mg per capsule from 360mg of 5% astaxanthin powder, one a day. Every batch tested; certificate on request. The page says microalgae, not the species.
- Highest dose in an oil-filled capsule, organic: Time Health Organic Astaxanthin Oil 12mg, Algamo astaxanthin in organic olive oil, HPMC shell, 60 capsules.
- Oleoresin weight and standardisation printed on the label: Igennus Astaxanthin Complex, 4mg from 40mg of oleoresin at 10%, in olive oil, 90 softgels.
- Most servings in one bottle, vegan softgel: WeightWorld Natural Astaxanthin 8mg, 240 softgels, in MCT coconut oil.
- Vitamin E in the same capsule, UK-made: Lamberts Astaxanthin 8mg (two capsules give 8mg and 24mg vitamin E; 30 capsules) and Nature's Best Astaxanthin 4mg (4mg and 12mg vitamin E per softgel; 60 softgels).
- Gelatine softgel, three months in a pot: Myvitamins Astaxanthin Softgels, 7mg, beef gelatine shell, 90 softgels. The only product here that is not vegan.
- A plant weight on the label, not an astaxanthin figure: Viridian Astaxanthin ("Astaxanthin extract 4mg", marigold base, 30 capsules) and Welzo Ultra Purity Astaxanthin (480mg Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae with lycopene, 60 capsules).
Best astaxanthin supplement UK: the comparison table
Every column is a label fact taken from the product page. "Not stated" means the page does not give it. Prices are left out on purpose; each brand's current price is on its own site, and the reason is in "How we checked".
| Product | Form | Astaxanthin per serving | Servings per pack | Stated purity | Testing and certificate of analysis | Other ingredients in the capsule | Storage advice | UK-based brand? | Where sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verve Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules | Capsule (powder) | 18mg (1 capsule), from 360mg of 5% powder | 30 (30 capsules) | Tested every batch; figure on the certificate, available on request | Independently lab-tested every batch; certificate of analysis on request | Plant cellulose shell only | Not stated | Yes (Wilmslow) | vavaverve.com (brand also at Boots, Holland & Barrett, Amazon UK; this listing not checked) |
| Time Health Organic Astaxanthin Oil 12mg | Capsule (oil in HPMC) | 12mg (1 capsule) | 60 (60 capsules) | Not stated | GMP statement; no certificate | Organic extra virgin olive oil; hypromellose shell | "Once opened consume within 6 months" only | Yes (Uckfield) | timehealth.co.uk |
| Lamberts Astaxanthin Capsules 8mg | Capsule (oil-filled) | 8mg (2 capsules) | 15 (30 capsules) | Not stated | Not stated on the product page | Vitamin E 24mg; sunflower seed oil; glycerol, modified starch, carrageenan, iron oxide shell | Cool, dry place; protect from light | Yes (made in the UK) | lambertshealthcare.co.uk; UK pharmacies and health stores |
| WeightWorld Natural Astaxanthin 8mg | Softgel (vegan) | 8mg (1 softgel) | 240 (240 softgels) | Not stated | GMP statement; brand says third party tested; no certificate | MCT coconut oil, vegetable cellulose, glycerine | Cool and dry place | Ships from the UK; "Made in the EU" | weightworld.uk; Superdrug online |
| Myvitamins Astaxanthin Softgels | Softgel (gelatine) | 7mg (1 softgel) | 90 (90 softgels) | Not stated | Not stated | Beef gelatine shell, glycerol, caramel colour; sunflower oil; beeswax; "may contain milk" | Cool, dry place away from sunlight | Not stated (THG Nutrition Limited) | myvitamins.com |
| Nature's Best Astaxanthin 4mg | Softgel (vegan) | 4mg per softgel; 1 to 2 a day | 60 or 30 (60 softgels) | Not stated | "UK made, GMP grade"; no certificate | Sunflower and olive oil; rosemary extract; vitamin E 12mg; glycerol, modified starch, carrageenan, iron oxide shell | Not stated | Yes (made in the UK) | naturesbest.co.uk |
| Igennus Astaxanthin Complex | Softgel (vegan) | 4mg (1 softgel), from 40mg oleoresin at 10%; adults may take 2 | 90 or 45 (90 softgels) | Not stated (oleoresin standardised to 10%) | Tested for pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals; GMP; no certificate on the page | Extra-virgin olive oil; glycerol, pea starch, carrageenan shell | Cool, dry place away from sunlight | Yes (made in the UK) | igennus.com |
| Viridian Astaxanthin | Capsule (powder) | Not stated; label says "Astaxanthin extract 4mg" (1 capsule) | 30 (30 capsules) | Not stated ("100% active ingredients") | Brand-level "130 purity checks", BRC AA grade; no product certificate | Marigold flower base; plant cellulose shell | Cool, dry place | Yes (Daventry) | viridian-nutrition.com; independent health stores |
| Welzo Ultra Purity Astaxanthin | Capsule | Not stated; label says 480mg microalgae, with lycopene | 30 (60 capsules); 120 and 180 sold | Not stated | "Made in the UK to GMP standards and third-party tested for purity"; no certificate | Not stated; shell not named | Not stated | Yes ("Made in the UK") | welzo.com |
What the nine labels say
Seven of the nine print an astaxanthin figure: 18mg (Verve), 12mg (Time Health), 8mg (Lamberts over two capsules, WeightWorld in one softgel), 7mg (Myvitamins) and 4mg (Nature's Best, Igennus). Viridian and Welzo give a plant weight instead. Two show their working: Igennus prints 40mg of oleoresin at 10%, Verve 360mg of powder at 5%. Seven name Haematococcus pluvialis; Verve says microalgae; Myvitamins gives no source. None says synthetic. Three are dry powder in a plant capsule (Verve, Viridian, Welzo); six are oil-filled, in olive, sunflower or MCT coconut oil, with vitamin E added by Lamberts and Nature's Best. Eight shells are plant-based; Myvitamins is beef gelatine. No label prints a purity percentage and no page links a certificate: Verve supplies one on request, Igennus names the contaminants it tests for, five state GMP, Lamberts and Myvitamins state nothing. Six give a storage place; Verve, Nature's Best and Welzo say nothing.
The products in detail
Verve Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules
Verve Astaxanthin is the product we make. The label is one line: 18mg of astaxanthin per capsule, from 360mg of 5% astaxanthin powder, in a plant cellulose shell. Thirty capsules, one a day. The page says microalgae but does not name the species; seven of the other eight labels do. Every batch is independently tested for purity, and the certificate of analysis for your batch, with the figure on it, is available on request from hello@vavaverve.com. No storage line (six competitors give one), and the certificate is on request rather than linked, though no brand here links one. £27.99 one-off (93p a capsule), £22.39 a month (75p) or £60.30 a quarter for three packs (67p). Who it suits: anyone who wants the highest stated dose here, one ingredient in a plant capsule, and a certificate they can ask for.
Time Health Organic Astaxanthin Oil 12mg
Sixty capsules of 12mg Algamo organic astaxanthin, one a day, so 60 servings. The astaxanthin is from Haematococcus pluvialis, produced in Central Europe by CO2 extraction, in organic extra virgin olive oil inside a hypromellose shell. The oil weight behind the 12mg is not stated, nor is the organic certifier. Testing is a GMP statement; no certificate, no purity figure. The only storage line is to use it within six months of opening. Time Health is in Uckfield and also sells a 7mg capsule and an 8mg oil. Who it suits: anyone who wants 12mg in olive oil with an organic label.
Lamberts Astaxanthin Capsules 8mg
Thirty oval red capsules, two a day with a meal, so 15 servings and 4mg per capsule. The fullest label on source: Haematococcus pluvialis extract in the natural 3S - 3'S form, grown in a closed system and CO2-extracted; the page describes it as natural and contrasts it with synthetic astaxanthin. Each serving also gives 24mg of natural vitamin E, in sunflower seed oil, in a shell of glycerol, modified starch, carrageenan and iron oxide. No purity figure or testing statement on the product page; the homepage says made, tested and packed in the UK. Store cool, dry, away from light. Who it suits: anyone who wants the source spelt out and vitamin E in the same capsule.
WeightWorld Natural Astaxanthin 8mg
The biggest bottle in the table: 240 softgels of 8mg, one a day, so 240 servings. The astaxanthin is oleoresin from Haematococcus pluvialis algae extract; the oleoresin weight is not stated. The ingredient list is MCT coconut oil, vegetable cellulose and glycerine; the page does not say which forms the shell. Vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free. Testing is a GMP statement plus a brand-wide "third party tested" line; no certificate, no purity figure. Store cool and dry. Made in the EU, shipped from the UK by Comfort Click Ltd. Who it suits: anyone who wants an 8mg vegan softgel bought eight months at a time.
Myvitamins Astaxanthin Softgels
Ninety softgels of 7mg, one a day with a meal, so 90 servings. The page does not say where the astaxanthin comes from, the only label here with no source. The shell is beef gelatine with glycerol and caramel colour, the fill is sunflower oil with beeswax, and the allergen line is "may contain milk": the one product not for vegetarians or vegans. No purity figure, no testing statement, no certificate. Store cool and dry, away from sunlight. The operating company is THG Nutrition Limited; the page does not say where it is made. Who it suits: anyone who wants a 7mg gelatine softgel and does not need the source named.
Nature's Best Astaxanthin 4mg
Sixty vegan softgels of 4mg, with directions of one to two a day, so 60 or 30 servings. The astaxanthin is Haematococcus pluvialis extract, CO2-extracted, in olive oil with rosemary extract, inside sunflower seed oil and a shell of glycerol, modified starch, carrageenan and iron oxide. Each softgel adds 12mg of vitamin E. The page says UK made to GMP grade; no purity figure, no certificate, no storage line. Who it suits: anyone who wants a 4mg vegan softgel with vitamin E and the choice of one or two a day.
Igennus Astaxanthin Complex
Ninety softgels, one a day, two allowed for adults, so 90 or 45 servings. This label shows its working: 40mg of astaxanthin-rich oleoresin from Haematococcus pluvialis, standardised to 10%, of which astaxanthin 4mg. The title and web address say 42mg; the nutrition table says 40mg. The carrier is cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil in a shell of glycerol, modified pea starch and carrageenan. Tested for pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals and environmental contaminants, GMP-manufactured in the UK; no certificate on the page, no purity percentage. Store cool, dry, away from sunlight. Vegan. Who it suits: anyone who wants the oleoresin weight and standardisation printed, and a three-month bottle.
Viridian Astaxanthin
Thirty plant cellulose capsules, one a day with food. The label line is "Astaxanthin extract (Haematococcus pluvialis) 4mg", in a base of marigold flowers. That 4mg is the weight of extract, and the page does not say how much astaxanthin it contains, so it cannot be set against the 4mg of Nature's Best or Igennus. No oil, no vitamin E. Purity is "100% active ingredients" with no figure; testing is brand-level, "130 purity checks" and BRC AA grade, with no product certificate. Store cool and dry. Viridian is in Daventry, UK made. Who it suits: anyone who wants a dry vegan capsule and will ask the brand what 4mg of extract gives in astaxanthin.
Welzo Ultra Purity Astaxanthin
Sixty capsules labelled as a one-month supply, so 30 servings; 120 and 180 sizes are also sold. The listing gives 480mg of Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae and names lycopene as a second ingredient, with no astaxanthin figure, no lycopene amount, no directions, no ingredient list and no shell material. "Ultra Purity" is the range name; the testing line is "made in the UK to GMP standards and third-party tested for purity", with no figure and no certificate. No storage advice. The page would not render for our tools; these facts come from the store's own product data feed. Who it suits: anyone who will check the physical label for what the page leaves out.
Others you will see named
Metabolics, a UK brand, sells a 4mg vegan softgel in olive oil with vitamin E; we read its page and left it out only to keep the table to nine. Solgar is a US brand with a UK website; its 5mg softgel has a bovine gelatine shell. Higher Nature Astaxanthin & Blackcurrant adds blackcurrant extract and tomato powder, a different product. Holland & Barrett's own-brand page would not let our tools read the label, so it is left out rather than guessed at. Wellgard's astaxanthin did not appear on its own site. Dr Mercola, NOW Foods, Jarrow Formulas, Nutrex Hawaii BioAstin, Swanson, Double Wood and Life Extension are US brands sold through UK marketplaces; we have not checked them on a UK brand site. Omega-3, krill and collagen products that include astaxanthin, among them Verve's Naked Beauty Collagen, are not compared here.
How to compare astaxanthin supplements
- Is the figure astaxanthin, or the plant it came from? "4mg" on Viridian's label is extract; "480mg" on Welzo's is algae. Look for "of which astaxanthin" or "providing", as on Igennus (40mg oleoresin, of which 4mg) and Verve (360mg powder providing 18mg).
- Per serving, then per capsule. Lamberts' 8mg is two 4mg capsules, so 30 capsules is 15 days. Welzo's 60 capsules is a one-month supply, so two a day. Nature's Best and Igennus allow one or two, which halves the pack.
- Is the source named? Seven labels say Haematococcus pluvialis; Verve says microalgae; Myvitamins says nothing. None says synthetic; Lamberts and WeightWorld describe theirs as natural.
- Powder capsule or oil softgel, and what carries it. A dry capsule lists the shell and little else. An oil softgel lists a carrier (olive, sunflower or MCT coconut here), sometimes vitamin E or beeswax, and a shell of starch, glycerol and carrageenan, or gelatine.
- Testing, and whether a certificate exists. No page here links a certificate of analysis. Verve supplies one on request. Igennus names the contaminants it tests for. Five brands state GMP; Myvitamins states nothing. No label prints a purity percentage.
- Storage. Six say a cool, dry place. Time Health gives only an opened-by date. Verve, Nature's Best and Welzo say nothing.
- Price the plan you will actually be on. One-off, monthly and quarterly plans differ, and bottles run from 30 to 240. Check each brand's site for today's price; we have not compared prices in this article.
Astaxanthin supplements: your questions
How much astaxanthin per day do UK brands put in a serving?
Where a figure is given, a labelled serving is 4mg (Nature's Best, Igennus), 7mg (Myvitamins), 8mg (Lamberts as two capsules, WeightWorld as one softgel), 12mg (Time Health) or 18mg (Verve). Viridian labels 4mg of extract and Welzo 480mg of microalgae, with no astaxanthin figure. This is what the labels say, not a recommendation.
Is astaxanthin from algae or synthetic, and what do UK labels say?
Seven of the nine name the freshwater microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. Verve says "sourced from microalgae" without the species. Myvitamins gives no source. No label here says synthetic; Lamberts describes its astaxanthin as natural, in the 3S - 3'S form, and WeightWorld describes its oleoresin as natural rather than synthetic.
Which UK astaxanthin products publish a certificate of analysis?
None of the nine links one on the product page. Verve supplies the certificate for your batch, with the purity figure on it, on request from hello@vavaverve.com. Igennus lists what it tests for but does not mention a certificate. Welzo and WeightWorld say third-party tested without a figure or certificate. The other five show none.
Softgel or capsule - what is the difference on the label?
A dry capsule holds astaxanthin powder, or an extract in a plant base, inside a cellulose shell: Verve lists astaxanthin and plant cellulose; Viridian lists extract, marigold and plant cellulose. An oil softgel carries the oleoresin in olive, sunflower or MCT coconut oil, often with vitamin E or an emulsifier, in a shell of modified starch, glycerol and carrageenan, or gelatine. Time Health is the in-between: oil inside a hard HPMC capsule.
Does Verve's astaxanthin contain anything else?
No. The label lists astaxanthin, 18mg per capsule, from 360mg of astaxanthin powder standardised to 5%, and a plant cellulose capsule shell: no carrier oil, no vitamin E, no colour, no blend. Every batch is independently tested for purity, and the certificate for your batch, with the figure, is available on request from hello@vavaverve.com. The page says microalgae and does not name the species.
Where can I buy astaxanthin in the UK?
All nine brands sell direct from their own websites. Lamberts and Viridian are also in UK health stores; WeightWorld is at Superdrug online. Verve as a brand is also sold at Boots, Holland & Barrett and Amazon UK; we have not checked the astaxanthin listing at each. Verve Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules is £27.99 one-off, £22.39 a month or £60.30 a quarter for three packs at vavaverve.com.
How we checked
Every label fact above was taken from the brand's own website on 5 November 2026: vavaverve.com, timehealth.co.uk, lambertshealthcare.co.uk, weightworld.uk, myvitamins.com, naturesbest.co.uk, igennus.com, viridian-nutrition.com and welzo.com, using the store's own product data feed where a page would not render; metabolics.com, solgar.co.uk and highernature.com were read for "Others you will see named". Where a page did not state a figure we have written "Not stated" rather than guessing, and we have not repeated any brand's claims about what astaxanthin does. Prices are deliberately not compared here: they change weekly and promotions distort them. Every brand's current price is on its own site. Verve makes Astaxanthin 18mg Capsules; the table is label facts, our opinion is in the text.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. The mention of other brands is for comparison only. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
