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    Behind the science

    ​​Lutein and Zeaxanthin: What are they and why do you need them?​

    ​​Herbalife​ 28 September 2024

    This website and the content on it have been developed and made available for the sole purpose of providing educational information only and must not be treated or viewed as marketing material. The statements made on the website have not been evaluated by any regulatory body. The information on benefits is specifically linked to published scientific evidence and research. The content on this website must not be hyperlinked to, copied, reproduced, or otherwise distributed, in whole or in part. No action should be taken in reliance on the content.

    ​​What are Lutein and Zeaxanthin?  

    ​Lutein and zeaxanthin are natural pigments that give plants their yellow to reddish colours. You can find them in various foods like marigold flowers, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, salmon, and egg yolks [1]. These pigments, known as carotenoids (xanthophylls), are essential for our health, but must be obtained from our diet as our bodies cannot produce them [2].  

    Why are they important?  

    ​Blue light is everywhere in our daily lives. The sun is a natural source of blue light, whilst traditional bulbs - fluorescent and LED lights, as well as our mobile phones and computer screens, are artificial sources.  ​Lutein and zeaxanthin work together to increase retinal Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD), which helps safeguard your eyes against these potentially harmful blue light sources [3-5]. They help maintain ocular health as you age and provide nutritional support for your eyes.  

    ​Green vegetables are a source of both lutein and zeaxanthin. However, many people do not consume sufficient quantities of these vegetables, leading to a low intake of lutein and zeaxanthin —typically about 1-2 mg per day [6, 7]. While there is no recommended daily intake in the European Union, studies suggest that higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin benefit eye and brain health. Supplementing daily with 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin can help you achieve these beneficial levels [1, 8].  

    ​Benefits for eye health  

    ​Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central, detailed vision. They also appear in the brain's visual cortex [9]. Clinical trials have shown that a daily intake of 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin can provide several benefits:  

    • ​Increased Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD): Acts as a natural sunblock and blue light filter for the eyes [3-5, 8, 10-12],   
    • ​Protection against oxidative stress: Helps protect cells from oxidative damage [13-18],   
    • ​Support for aging eyes: Helps maintain eye health as we age [19-22],  
    • ​Enhanced visual performance: Improves your ability to recover from bright lights, see contrasts, and process visual information more quickly [8, 12, 23-25]. 

    Benefits for brain health  

    ​Lutein and zeaxanthin also support cognitive functions. Clinical trials have shown improvements in visual and spatial memory, as well as in cognitive abilities [11, 26] such as:  

    • ​Visual memory: This is the ability to remember and recall visual details and images. Improved visual memory helps you remember things you've seen, like recognising faces or recalling scenes from a movie.  
    • ​Spatial memory: This refers to your ability to remember the locations of objects or navigate through spaces. Enhanced spatial memory aids in tasks like finding your way around a new place or remembering where you put your keys. 
    • ​Complex attention: This is the ability to focus on and manage multiple tasks or pieces of information at once, even when there are distractions. 
    • ​Cognitive flexibility: This refers to the capacity to switch between different concepts or adapt your thinking when faced with new information or changing circumstances.  
       

    ​With a daily intake of 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin, these benefits can help enhance your ability to remember visual details, navigate spaces, manage multiple tasks, and adapt your thinking [11, 26].  

    ​How to achieve these benefits  

    ​To support eye and brain health, a daily supplement of 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin is recommended, with benefits typically observed after one year. This is particularly helpful if your dietary intake is low [7]. 

    Summary 

    Lutein and zeaxanthin are essential nutrients for eye and brain health that our bodies cannot produce. Including them in your diet or taking supplements can help protect your vision and cognitive functions, especially as you age. 

    ​By maintaining adequate levels of these nutrients, you can support your overall visual and brain well-being in the long term. 

    ​References  

    1. ​Abdel-Aal el, S.M., et al., Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health. Nutrients, 2013. 5(4): p. 1169-85.  
    2. ​Mares-Perlman, J.A., et al., The body of evidence to support a protective role for lutein and zeaxanthin in delaying chronic disease. Overview. The Journal of Nutrition, 2002. 132(3): p. 518S-524S.  
    3. ​Kijlstra, A., et al., Lutein: more than just a filter for blue light. Prog Retin Eye Res, 2012. 31(4): p. 303-15.  
    4. ​Junghans, A., H. Sies, and W. Stahl, Macular pigments lutein and zeaxanthin as blue light filters studied in liposomes. Arch Biochem Biophys, 2001. 391(2): p. 160-4.  
    5. Barker, F.M., 2nd, et al., Nutritional manipulation of primate retinas, V: effects of lutein, zeaxanthin, and n-3 fatty acids on retinal sensitivity to blue-light-induced damage. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2011. 52(7): p. 3934-42.  
    6. ​Cena, H., C. Roggi, and G. Turconi, Development and validation of a brief food frequency questionnaire for dietary lutein and zeaxanthin intake assessment in Italian women. Eur J Nutr, 2008. 47(1): p. 1-9.  
    7. ​Johnson, E.J., et al., Intake of lutein and zeaxanthin differ with age, sex, and ethnicity. J Am Diet Assoc, 2010. 110(9): p. 1357-62.  
    8. ​Hammond, B.R., et al., A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on photostress recovery, glare disability, and chromatic contrast. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2014. 55(12): p. 8583-9.  
    9. ​Craft, N.E., et al., Carotenoid, tocopherol, and retinol concentrations in elderly human brain. J Nutr Health Aging, 2004. 8(3): p. 156-62.  
    10. ​Wilson, L.M., et al., The Effect of Lutein/Zeaxanthin Intake on Human Macular Pigment Optical Density: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adv Nutr, 2021. 12(6): p. 2244-2254.  
    11. ​Renzi-Hammond, L.M., et al., Effects of a Lutein and Zeaxanthin Intervention on Cognitive Function: A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Younger Healthy Adults. Nutrients, 2017. 9(11).  
    12. ​Stringham, J.M. and B.R. Hammond, Macular pigment and visual performance under glare conditions. Optom Vis Sci, 2008. 85(2): p. 82-8.  
    13. ​Khachik, F., P.S. Bernstein, and D.L. Garland, Identification of lutein and zeaxanthin oxidation products in human and monkey retinas. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1997. 38(9): p. 1802-11.  
    14. ​Krinsky, N.I. and E.J. Johnson, Carotenoid actions and their relation to health and disease. Mol Aspects Med, 2005. 26(6): p. 459-516.  
    15. ​Perrone, S., et al., Effects of lutein on oxidative stress in the term newborn: a pilot study. Neonatology, 2010. 97(1): p. 36-40.  
    16. ​Granado, F., B. Olmedilla, and I. Blanco, Nutritional and clinical relevance of lutein in human health. The British journal of nutrition, 2003. 90(3): p. 487-502.  
    17. ​Haegele, A.D., et al., Plasma xanthophyll carotenoids correlate inversely with indices of oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2000. 9(4): p. 421-5.  
    18. ​Health Canada, Marigold Extract and Isolates (Lutein and Zeaxanthin). 2022.  
    19. ​Nolan, J.M., et al., Risk factors for age-related maculopathy are associated with a relative lack of macular pigment. Experimental eye research, 2007. 84(1): p. 61-74.  
    20. ​Delcourt, C., et al., Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin and other carotenoids as modifiable risk factors for age-related maculopathy and cataract: the POLA Study. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2006. 47(6): p. 2329-35.  
    21. ​Manayi, A., et al., Lutein and cataract: from bench to bedside. Crit Rev Biotechnol, 2016. 36(5): p. 829-39.  
    22. ​van Leeuwen, R., et al., Dietary intake of antioxidants and risk of age-related macular degeneration. JAMA, 2005. 294(24): p. 3101-3107.  
    23. ​Machida, N., M. Kosehira, and N. Kitaichi, Clinical Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Lutein with High Bio-Accessibility on Macular Pigment Optical Density and Contrast Sensitivity: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Parallel-Group Comparison Trial. Nutrients, 2020. 12(10).  
    24. ​Nolan, J.M., et al., The impact of macular pigment augmentation on visual performance in normal subjects: COMPASS. Vision Res, 2011. 51(5): p. 459-69.  
    25. ​Johnson, E.J., et al., The association between macular pigment optical density and visual function outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eye (Lond), 2021. 35(6): p. 1620-1628.  
    26. ​Hammond, B.R., Jr., et al., Effects of Lutein/Zeaxanthin Supplementation on the Cognitive Function of Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Front Aging Neurosci, 2017. 9: p. 254.​