Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Their Unique and Proven Effects on Eye Health
These two nutrients might lower the risks of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, affecting millions of people.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are not just ordinary supplements.
For unknown reasons, lutein and zeaxanthin are not well-known compared to useless and overhyped supplements on the market. Interestingly when I searched this platform, I did not find a single story about these nutrients, so I decided to pen this piece to create awareness and inform readers.
In addition to extensive literature reviews, I also used these nutrients and observed their effects on my friends, colleagues, relatives, and neighbors.
One of the senior editors supporting my publications provided feedback saying, “within several months of taking lutein for my eyes, all the inflammation dissipated.”
In this story, without going into scientific and technical details, I introduce the critical points of these nutrients and provide practical tips on leveraging their power. My goal is to create awareness and empower you to conduct your research and find solutions for your eye health.
Eye health is critical as seeing the external world adds meaning to our lives. People only understand its importance of it when they lose their vision. Unfortunately, millions of people suffer from the impaired vision for various health conditions.
For example, according to The World Health Organization (WHO):
“At least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. Vision impairment poses an enormous global financial burden with the annual costs of productivity losses associated with vision impairment from uncorrected myopia and presbyopia alone estimated to be US$ 244 billion and US$ 25.4 billion.”
It is also widespread in the United States, as informed by CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). “More than 4.2 million Americans aged 40 years and older are either legally blind or have low vision. The leading causes of blindness and low vision in the US are age-related eye diseases.”
CDC documents seven conditions related to eye health: “Refractive Errors, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Cataract, Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma, Amblyopia, and Strabismus.”
In this post, my focus is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and cataracts affecting around 196 million people globally. The reason for my focus is these two nutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin might lower the risks of these two common conditions based on literature reviews.
In a nutshell, AMD is a progressive eye disease that can impact the central retina (macula), causing difficulty in sharp vision. This leads to vision loss and difficulties in daily tasks. It comes in two forms called wet and dry. Wet is due to abnormal blood vessel growth, and dry is due to cell deterioration in the macula.
Cataracts can cause clouding in the lens leading to vision loss and blindness. The protein clumps can cause blurriness.
Cataracts are a normal part of aging, typically occurring after 60 years of age. Apart from aging, cataracts can also be caused by smoking, oxidative stress, UV light exposure, and some underlying health conditions.
Scientists studied lutein and zeaxanthin and found their potential benefits to support the vision and protect against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
As documented in this review paper, published in MDPI, “numerous studies identified lutein and zeaxanthin to be essential components for eye health and indicated that lutein and zeaxanthin could accumulate in the macula (the part of the retina responsible for vision) and protect the cells from oxidative stress and damage caused by exposure to blue light.”
More interestingly, these nutrients can filter out harmful blue lights to support overall eye health. Thus both lutein and zeaxanthin might have valuable effects in reducing the risk of age-related eye diseases, maintaining vision, and improving overall eye health. However, these nutrients do not cure eye disease.
An Overview of Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids (antioxidants) found in high levels in the eye's retina. They play an essential role in eye health by protecting the eyes from damage caused by light and environmental factors.
These molecules can contribute to eye health via three mechanisms. They can absorb blue light, serve as antioxidants, and support visual function. Lutein and zeaxanthin exist in high concentrations in the eye's macula.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are extracted from marigold flowers. Chemists harvest these flowers, extract them by grounding them into powder using ethanol or hexane, purify them, and concentrate them in powder or oil.
Marigold flowers have been used for centuries in traditional medicine. They are still used in some cultures for their medicinal properties. They are also used as natural food coloring.
Lutein and zeaxanthin have different chemical structures. For example, lutein has an extended carbon chain, and zeaxanthin has a more compact structure. This difference in structure affects how they interact with the eye and other molecules in the body.
Their distribution in the body also differs. For example, lutein is found primarily in the eye's macula, while zeaxanthin is primarily in the macula's center. This differential distribution is essential for their different protective roles in the eye.
Literature indicates that lutein and zeaxanthin are poorly absorbed from the diet. In addition, the body’s ability to absorb these molecules can vary depending on factors such as age, diet, and health conditions.
The bioavailability of lutein and zeaxanthin can vary depending on the source and the form in which they are consumed. For example, lutein and zeaxanthin are better absorbed from supplements containing both molecules than from food sources.
Lutein and zeaxanthin exist in both plant and animal sources. The best animal source is egg yolks. The best plant sources are leafy greens, corn, squash, and peppers. It also exists in small amounts in fruits such as peaches.
Safety and Dosage Considerations
When I reviewed the literature and product guidelines, I noticed that lutein is typically found in higher doses of dietary supplements compared to zeaxanthin. For example, a typical formula includes 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin.
Even though they are both carotenoids and do similar functions, I got curious about this 80/20 ratio.
When I interviewed an experienced chemist specializing in these molecules, she explained it to me. In summary, lutein has been researched more than zeaxanthin and is more bioavailable. It means that the body can absorb and tolerate lutein better than zeaxanthin.
I tried lutein up to 20 mg from a reliable brand for several months and noticed no side effects.
In a biohacker community, some friends tried lutein up to 40 mg daily for a year, and they also had no adverse effects. They reported significant improvement in their eye health. However, as these are anecdotal cases, they cannot be used as a guideline.
Nevertheless, the literature indicates that doses higher than 10 mg might cause stomach upsets for some people.
As these molecules are extracted from plant sources (marigold flowers), those who are allergic to them can show severe reactions. In addition, lutein and zeaxanthin may interact with some medications, such as blood thinners.
As a precaution, lutein and zeaxanthin are not recommended to pregnant and breastfeeding women unless their physicians assess their conditions and support them in taking them.
Clinical and Follow-Up Studies on Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Two extensive clinical studies called “Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) and AREDS2, sponsored by the National Eye Institute. You can find more information about these trials via this link.
In addition to lutein (10 mg) and Zeaxanthin (2 mg), the trial also investigated the effectiveness of vitamin E, vitamin C, Copper, and Beta-carotene. These nutrients are included in many eye-health supplements available over the counter due to their safety.
The study indicated that supplements including these ingredients in the proper doses could lower the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration by 25%. They derived this conclusion with a double-blind study approach.
Later, some follow-up studies found up to 35% risk reduction for developing AMD and cataracts for those who used lutein and zeaxanthin compared to those who didn’t.
As there are many studies, it is impossible to cite them here. However, interested readers might start with this publically available paper titled “Dietary Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin Carotenoids and Their Role in Eye Health,” which includes 99 scientific citations.
If you are studying nutrition science or chemistry and want to go into further details, you might check this comprehensive paper, including a review of 346 scientific papers. It is titled “Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and meso-Zeaxanthin: The Basic and Clinical Science Underlying Carotenoid-based Nutritional Interventions against Ocular Disease.”
Summary and Takeaways
This story is not health advice, and I did not write it to recommend these nutrients in supplement forms. My goal is to inform and create awareness for options to improve our eye health which impacts 2.2 billion people.
It is always preferable to get our nutrients from foods; however, the bioavailability and absorption of some nutrients from food might be poor and lead to nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, supplements can be valuable alternatives.
Lutein and zeaxanthin exist in both plant and animal sources. However, they exist in small amounts, and their absorption varies from person to person. Those who experience eye problems might consider supplementing with carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
According to growing literature, other than lutein and zeaxanthin, helpful nutrients for the eye are omega-3 fatty acids, copper, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
I also found Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin A helpful for my eye health when addressing their deficiency. HealthLine published an article explaining the roles of these nutrients in lowering the dry eye problem.
If you consider supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin, purchase them from reliable vendors who sell high-quality supplements from reputable manufacturers.
Dosage in any supplement or medication matter. Therefore, starting with a low dose and observing the body’s tolerance is critical.
Even though studies indicate that lutein and zeaxanthin are safe for many people, there might always be exceptions. Therefore, if you face noticeable reactions, you must stop taking them immediately and seek support from qualified healthcare professionals.
Eye health requires a holistic approach. While nutrition is vital, we also focus on other areas such as refraining from toxins and sharp objects, cigarette smoke, excessive alcohol use, controlling blood sugar, making the body insulin sensitive, regular exercise, rest, and restorative sleep.
As eyes are made up of cells and include mitochondria, it can also be helpful to clear the garbage from them via natural cleansing processes such as autophagy and mitophagy.
Don’t scratch your eyes when they feel itchy. Instead, obtain necessary medications from physicians to address itchiness and irritations. It is also essential to get your eyes checked regularly by an optometrist.
I also wrote about other nutrients. You might find them in the following links. They reflect my experience, observations, and literature reviews.
Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients to improve metabolism and mental health.
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