Health benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin for eyes, brain, and skin health
OmniActive’s lutein & zeaxanthin portfolio of products
Carotenoids and Eye Health
Carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, are beneficial antioxidants that can help protect your health and wellness. Carotenoids are responsible for the bright yellows, reds, greens and oranges we see in foods including yams, kale, spinach, watermelon, cantaloupe, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, mangoes and oranges.
Specifically, lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the macula of our eyes. They have been shown to protect healthy cells in the eyes and therefore getting enough through diet or supplementation is important for eye health and vision performance including in long-term.
Visual impairment comes in many forms and is defined as any sight loss that cannot be fully corrected without eyeglasses or contact lenses. It affects millions of people around the globe. Many of these eye conditions, particularly those associated with age, such as cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), could be minimized with simple solutions including better nutrition. Overall, it is estimated that 80 percent of all visual impairment cases are preventable.
Vision health and performance
Did you know?
285 million people worldwide are blind or vision impaired.
The majority (82 percent) of people living with blindness are aged 50 and above, however, it is estimated that 1.4 million children around the world are blind.
Lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to reduce the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and, in those that already have the disease, reduce the risk of its progression. Lutein and zeaxanthin’s ability to protect the macula was demonstrated in two landmark studies conducted by the National Eye Institute in the U.S. In one study, people who consumed diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin intake had a lower risk of developing AMD. In the other study, people given a supplement with various antioxidants including lutein and zeaxanthin had an 18% reduction in risk for all forms of AMD. And perhaps more importantly, in those who already suffer from AMD, the supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin reduced its progression an additional 10%.
Additional research with AMD patients has also shown that lutein supplementation improved the ability to adapt to the dark; enhanced sensitivity to contrast; and improved the ability to recover from glare. Lutein and zeaxanthin also play a role in reducing the progression of the biggest cause of blindness around the world, cataracts.
Other studies have shown that lutein supplementation significantly slowed the loss of midperipheral vision in subjects with the eye disease retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic degenerative disease in which patients gradually lose parts of their vision and, in some cases, go blind.
How does blue light impact us?
High-energy blue light is part of the visible spectrum of light. Sunlight, energy-efficient lighting and digital devices are common sources that most of us know to protect our eyes against. But given modern demands, high-energy blue light from digital screens and energy-efficient lighting bombards our eyes daily. Prolonged blue light exposure is a short- and long-term eye health concern because it directly impacts the macula—the region of the eye most susceptible to oxidative damage. In the short-term, it can lead to eye strain, fatigue, increased headache frequency and sleep disruption. In the long term, it may cause damage to the retina in the eye, which over time could lead to age-related vision loss.
Children are particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of the sun and excess blue light through digital device use. Special attention should be paid to this point as they not only continue to be vulnerable as they grow and develop, but also that they tend to be in front of blue light screens for prolonged hours. Because their lenses are relatively transparent, children’s retinas can quickly accumulate lipofuscin, the yellow-brown fatty granules that are considered a risk factor for macular degeneration.
How do the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin protect our eyes from blue light exposure?
Lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin support eye health by acting as powerful antioxidants and filtering high-energy blue light. They are the only three carotenoids that are preferentially deposited in the macula where most oxidative stress from high-energy blue light occurs.
Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation has been shown to reduce eye fatigue associated with prolonged digital device use by filtering high energy blue light. Lutein and zeaxanthin can also be protective for children because higher macular pigment levels can protect against excessive blue light exposure.
Did you know?
Significant exposure to high-energy blue light comes from LED screens including televisions, tablets, smartphones and computers as well as some indoor lighting.
High-energy blue light penetrates deep into the eye and directly impacts the macula — the area of the eye responsible for highest visual sharpness.
High-energy blue light can lead to digital eye fatigue while long term cumulative effects can lead to a progressive loss of visual function.
Sleep/Stress & Emotional Well-Being
Studies show that people who consumed Lutemax demonstrated an improvement in many markers related to stress, mood and quality sleep including reduced stress, improved feelings of relaxation, mental and emotional well-being, and improvements in restful, quality sleep.
Blue light plays a role in regulating sleep/wake cycles. In a clinical study, Lutemax 2020 significantly improved sleep quality in subjects exposed to prolong blue light from sources such as digital devices.
Eye and Brain Health for Kids
Eye and Brain Health for Kids
In a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 60 children aged 5-12 years, just 12 mg of Lutemax Kids was shown to:
Reduce eye strain and fatigue as a result of digital device use
Increase visual processing speed
Significantly improve aspects of cognitive health including attention, focus/concentration, episodic memory, and more
Did you know?
According to our proprietary Insights, we found that most children aged 4 and over, spend at least 4h a day on digital devices and 80% of parents are either extremely likely or likely to purchase a supplement to protect against the potential negative impact of blue light.
An adequate intake of the three macular carotenoids (lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin) are important to support brain and eye development. Unfortunately, similar to most adults, children also tend to consume inadequate amounts of vegetables and fruits that contain these beneficial macular carotenoids. Give children a strong start on eye health and cognitive performance with Lutemax Kids
Carotenoids and Brain Health
Brain Health
It has been said that the human brain is the most complex of all of our biological systems. That’s not surprising given that the mature brain is composed of more than 100 billion neurons, the cells that process information by signaling one another.
When we’re young, we are concerned with how well the brain develops and how quickly we can learn skills, tasks, facts and more. In our later years, we focus on maintaining our brain health and minimizing the cognitive effects that are a normal part of aging.
Did you know?
Our brains begin to develop during the third week of gestation. During the period of brain formation, our brains add as many as 250,000 neurons per minute.
By the time we’re born, we have almost all the neurons we will ever have. In fact, by the age of two, the brain is approximately 80 percent of its adult size. By the age of six, it is 90 percent of its adult size.
Our brains continue to develop through our 20’s and continue to form neural networks throughout life, which are important for key aspects of cognition for example, memory, attention and learning.
Support from lutein in brain health
Lutein accumulates in specific areas of the brain associated with learning, information processing and cognition. These areas are vulnerable to oxidative stress and degeneration as we age. The accumulation of lutein can protect health and wellness including support of our cognitive health and function.
Supplementation with Lutemax (lutein) was shown to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and improved several parameters of cognitive performance. BDNF is a protein that plays an important role in supporting neuronal health and brain plasticity.
Carotenoids and skin health
Skin Health
Environmental exposure to ultraviolet light (natural, e.g., sunshine and artificial, e.g., tanning beds) leads to the breakdown of elastin and collagen in the skin and is what causes our skin to have the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration. But as the largest organ in the body, the effects of aging on our skin go beyond our appearance. Exposure to ultraviolet light actually prevents the skin from functioning as it should. Photoaging is responsible for 90 percent of visible changes to the skin. Carotenoids such as lutein can help support a healthier, younger-looking appearance. A clinical study using Lutemax Skinglo has demonstrated benefits for overall skin tone, skin lightening/brightening, and skin protection.
Did you know?
As we age, the outermost layer of the epidermis loses fat, making the skin drier.
The skin also loses elastin, the substance that enables skin to snap back into place, and hyaluronic acid, which allows the skin to retain moisture.
Lutein and zeaxanthin play important roles in the skin. Similar to their roles in the eye, lutein and zeaxanthin have two primary functions in the skin: as antioxidants and as filters that screen out damaging blue and high energy light from the sun.
In several studies, subjects receiving supplements containing a combination of carotenoids including beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene experienced less redness and swelling associated with sunburn after exposure to UV light.