High lutein and zeaxanthin intake associated with decreased risk of cataracts

Much of the existing lutein and zeaxanthin research has focused on a role in reducing risk of AMD (age-related macular degeneration). New research shows that lutein and zeaxanthin may also play a protective role against cataracts.

According to the World Health Organization, age-related cataracts affect some 18 million people worldwide. Cataracts can be caused by a number of factors, including trauma, disease, diabetes, genetics, and others. Over time, the breakdown of proteins in the lens of the eye results in increasingly poor vision (including reductions in visual clarity, visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity). Once developed, cataracts must be surgically removed.

Fortunately, new research from the Archives of Opthalmology provides evidence of a good correlation between high lutein and zeaxanthin intakes and decreased incidence of nuclear cataracts. A total of 1802 women (aged 50-79) initially recruited for the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (1994-1998) were re-recruited 4 to 7 years later as part of the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study.

Researchers selected participants based on whether they could be classified as having high dietary levels of lutein and zeaxanthin (78th percentile and above) or low dietary levels (28th percentile and below). Analyses revealed that women in the high dietary levels group had a 23% lower prevalence of nuclear cataracts than women in the low-level group. Dividing the participants into quintiles revealed that women in the highest quintile were 32% less likely to have nuclear cataracts when compared to women in the lowest quintile (adjusted odds ratio 0.68; P=0.04; adjusted odds ratio 0.68; P=0.01, respectively).

The researchers concluded that diets rich in lutein and zeaxanthin correlate moderately well with decreased prevalence of nuclear cataracts in older women, although additional research will be needed in order to confirm a specific mechanism for this protective effect.

Source: Associations Between Age-Related Nuclear Cataract and Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Diet and Serum in the Carotenoids in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS), an Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative, Moeller et al, 2008, Arch Ophthalmology 126(3):354-64

Source: USANA Health Sciences

Lutein and zeaxanthin may improve visual performance and reduce the effects of glare

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are most commonly linked to protection from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In a new study conducted at the University of Georgia, lutein and zeaxanthin were found to reduce the harmful effects of glare on a test group of people with normal eyesight.

Healthy subjects with an average age of 23.9 were assigned to receive daily supplements of lutein (10 mg) and zeaxanthin (2 mg) for six months. The subjects' eyes were then tested for the effects of glare as experienced in everyday situations, including being outdoors on bright days, lengthy sessions of looking at a computer monitor, and nighttime exposure to oncoming headlights.

Following six months of supplementation, the participant's average macular pigment optical density (MPOD) increased significantly from the average value at the beginning of the study. MPOD is a measure of the eye's ability to filter short-wave light.

After testing the subjects for their performance in visual tasks following glare, researchers concluded that four to six months of supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin significantly reduced the detrimental effects of the exposure and improved visual performance.

Source: Macular pigment and visual performance under glare conditions, Stringham and Hammond, Optom Vis Sci 2008 Feb;85(2):82-8

Supplemental lutein and DHA may help prevent macular degeneration

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) is a measure of retinal concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants acquired from the diet. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in the retina of the eye. New research shows that supplementing with lutein and DHA may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by increasing MPOD.

In a study recently conducted at Tufts University in Boston, researchers randomly assigned 49 women (between 60 and 80 years old) to one of four groups: placebo, DHA (800 mg/d), lutein (12 mg/d), or a combination lutein + DHA supplement. The objective of this four month study was to determine the effects of lutein and DHA on the women's serum concentrations and macular pigment optical density (MPOD).

In all supplement groups, blood nutrient levels were higher at two and four months than at the beginning of the study. DHA supplementation resulted in central increases of macular pigment density, while lutein was associated with eccentric, or away from the center, increases.

Supplementing lutein and DHA may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration by increasing MPOD, helping protect the macula from oxidative damage, and increasing lutein transport into the macula.

Source: The influence of supplemental lutein and docosahexaenoic acid on serum, lipoproteins, and macular pigmentation, Johnson et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 5, 1521-1529, May 2008

Macular degeneration risk is reduced in adults with high intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative eye disease that causes damage to the macula (central retina) of the eye, impairing central vision. In a recent large study, participants with the highest intakes of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin had significantly lower risk of AMD compared to those with low intakes.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a degenerative eye disease that causes damage to the macula (central retina) of the eye, impairing central vision. People affected by Age-Related Macular Degeneration have difficulty reading, driving and performing activities that require clear central vision. AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in developed countries. A recent report published in the September, 2007 issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology added more evidence to support previous research showing that carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein are protective against AMD. Dark green leafy vegetables are the primary dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, but they are also found in some other colorful fruits and vegetables. Average dietary intake in the U.S. is only 2 mg/day, far below the 6 mg/day level most studies indicate as a minimum needed to reduce the risk of AMD. In the current report, members of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group evaluated the diets of 4,519 AREDS participants aged 60 to 80 years. Retinal photographs were used to divide the subjects into five categories of macular disease severity, from individuals with little or no evidence of macular degeneration (the control group) to severe, neovascular disease. Dietary questionnaires were analyzed for lutein, zeaxanthin, beta- carotene, lycopene, and other nutrient levels. Participants whose intake of lutein and zeaxanthin were greatest had a significantly lower risk of AMD than those whose intake was least, and were less likely to have large or extensive intermediate drusen, the deposits on the retina or optic nerve that characterize the disease. No risk reductions were associated with the other nutrients examined in this study.

Source:

The Relationship of Dietary Carotenoid and Vitamin A, E, and C Intake With Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study: Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group AREDS Report No. 22, Arch Ophthalmol. 2007;125(9):1225-1232

Supplements reduce healthcare costs

With health care costs skyrocketing and the age of the population increasing, helping seniors live independently for longer is becoming increasingly important. A recent comprehensive review of existing scientific research literature found positive health effects associated with both omega-3 fatty acids and the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. Based on health insurance costs for the age group over 65, the five-year estimated savings resulting from daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids and lutein with zeaxanthin is approximately 5.6 billion dollars.

A recent comprehensive review of existing scientific research literature found positive health effects associated with both omega-3 fatty acids and the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. Researchers critically reviewed the scientific evidence of the two supplements' ability to reduce the risk of disease and developed estimates of potential health care savings. With health care costs skyrocketing and the age of the population increasing, helping seniors live independently for longer is becoming increasingly important. The group reviewed several hundred studies dating back over thirty years to arrive at an estimated cost savings of 3.1 billion dollars over the next five years with the daily use of omega-3 fatty acids. They estimated that the reduction in coronary heart disease in the elderly population would result in 384,303 fewer hospitalizations and physician fees. Loss of central vision caused by age-related macular degeneration results in numerous elderly becoming dependent on the community or a nursing facility. The researchers used over 15 years of research on lutein and zeaxanthin to estimate a potential net savings of 2.5 billion dollars over the next five years. Approximately 98,219 individuals could avoid the transition to dependence during this time through daily intake of 6-10 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin. Based on health insurance costs for the age group over 65, the five-year estimated savings resulting from daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids and lutein with zeaxanthin is approximately 5.6 billion dollars.

http://www.supplementinfo.org/anm/articlefiles/265- FINAL_DSEA_%20FACT_SHEET.pdf