Lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin preserve vision
- Carotenoids improve glaucoma status
In glaucoma, nerves and other cells in the retina of the eye degenerate, and it is the leading form of blindness. In this study, 55 people with open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, took a placebo or a combination of carotenoids: 10 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, and 10 mg meso-zeaxanthin, per day.
At six months, macular pigment optical density (MPOD)—the level of carotenoids in the macula of the eye—was 25 percent greater in the lutein group compared to placebo, which had not changed significantly. At 18 months, the lutein group saw MPOD increase an average of 60 percent while the placebo group had not changed. The lutein group also had significantly improved sensitivity to contrast in glare conditions.
“This is the first study to demonstrate carotenoids can increase macular pigment, and improve the structure and function of the eye in glaucoma,” doctors said.
Reference: Ophthalmology Science; 2021, Vol. 1, No. 3, 100039
- Better macular pigment in healthy adults
This review of 46 studies covered 3,189 adults, average age 43, with healthy eyesight, who supplemented with lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, in doses from less than 5 to more than 20 mg per day, for three to 12 months.
At the lower dosages, macular pigment optical density (MPOD)—the amount of carotenoids in the macula of the eye—did not significantly increase. But at dosages of 5 to 19 mg per day, MPOD increased an average of 0.04 units. In studies of 20 mg or more per day, MPOD increased 0.11 units.
Reference: Advances in Nutrition; 2021, Vol. 12, No. 6, 2244–54
