ELKINS PARK, Pa.—Consumers who are looking to bolster their visual function would do well to ensure they’re getting adequate levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, and may want to turn to dietary supplements to get those carotenoids. A new review published online June 30 in Current Medical Research and Opinion (DOI: 10.1185/03007995.2010.494549) examined the state of research studies that have looked at the influence of dietary supplements, particularly those delivering the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, and eye health.
After reviewing the data, Felix M. Barker, II., from Salus University, found the state of the science does support the use of dietary supplements with lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health. In particular, supplementation can improve contrast sensitivity and visual performance under glare, likely due to the supplements’ ability to enhance macular pigment density. Further, observational and prospective studies link consumption of these carotenoids to a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract. Barker did caution that there is some variability in the study results, which could be related to the inherent limitations in observational studies, or to other diet- or lifestyle-related factors.