Lutein and zeaxanthin may improve visual performance and reduce the effects of glare
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.
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.
Article Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 5, 1521-1529, May 2008