Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Participating subjects who supplemented with lutein and zeaxanthin had significantly increased Macular Pigment Optical Density and Temporal Contrast Sensitivity Function which translated into increased temporal processing speed.

eye healthLutein and zeaxanthin are two antioxidants, lutein from tomatoes and zeaxanthin from corn, grouped together because of their health-promoting properties, especially eye health. Research has consistently shown that lutein and zeaxanthin benefit eye health. For example:

  • A 2008 study 1 showed that 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin helped subjects tolerate more intense light.
  • A 2014 study 2 showed that 8 mg of lutein and 26 mg zeaxanthin improved eye nerve function.
  • A 2015 study 3 showed that 10 milligrams of each per day improved optical density and retinal sensitivity.

In another 2015 study 4, with 69 participating healthy subjects, of whom 15 subjects received a placebo, 29 subjects received 20 milligrams of zeaxanthin and 25 subjects received a combinations of 26 mg zeaxanthin, 8 mg lutein, and 190 mg “mixed nonsaturated fatty acids” per day for four months. Before and after the study, the following two aspects of eye health were measured:

  • Macular Pigment Optical Density: Macular pigment (MP) is a yellow pigmented spot consisting of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and is located in the center of the retina known as the macula. It plays a critical role in protecting the macula from harmful blue light and in helping to maintain the function of the macula. A decrease in its thickness correlates with an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Studies have shown that patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease have a relative lack of MP compared to controls, significantly poorer visual function, and a higher occurrence of AMD 5,6.
  • Temporal Contrast Sensitivity Function is a test that measures the sensitivity of the eye to detect changes in color and brightness of objects within the same field of view and helps determine how quickly the eye can send information to the brain for processing 7,8.

At the end of four months, no statistically significant changes in either macular pigment optical density (p = 0.22) or temporal contrast sensitivity function (p = 2.22) were noted in the placebo group. In the supplement groups, however, the following was noted:

MPODp-valuetCSFp-value
Zeaxanthin22.5% increase
(0.40 to 0.49)
< 0.0138.8% increase
(0.18 to 0.25)
0.006
Lutein + Zeaxanthin27.2% increase
(0.33 to .42)
< 0.0141.1% increase
(0.17 to 0.24)
< 0.003

Researchers concluded, “The increase in MPOD translated to a concomitant increase in temporal processing speed for the supplemented subjects” Although admitting that “At this stage, there is not enough information to productively speculate on precisely how L and Z might influence processing speed”, they believe that an intervention with lutein and zeaxanthin can increase processing speed even in young healthy subjects.

Source: Bovier, Emily R., and Billy R. Hammond. “A randomized placebo-controlled study on the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on visual processing speed in young healthy subjects.” Archives of biochemistry and biophysics 572 (2015): 54-57.

© 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

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Posted April 13, 2017.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.

References:

  1. Stringham JM, Hammond BR. Macular pigment and visual performance under glare conditions. Optometry & Vision Science. 2008;85(2):82-88.
  2. Bovier ER, Renzi LM, Hammond BR. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on neural processing speed and efficiency. PloS one. 2014;9(9):e108178.
  3. Huang Y-M, Dou H-L, Huang F-F, et al. Changes following supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin in retinal function in eyes with early age-related macular degeneration: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2015;99(3):371-375.
  4. Bovier ER, Hammond BR. A randomized placebo-controlled study on the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on visual processing speed in young healthy subjects. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics. 2015;572:54-57.
  5. Nolan JM, Loskutova E, Howard AN, et al. Macular pigment, visual function, and macular disease among subjects with Alzheimer’s disease: an exploratory study. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2014;42(4):1191-1202.
  6. Renzi LM, Dengler MJ, Puente A, Miller LS, Hammond BR. Relationships between macular pigment optical density and cognitive function in unimpaired and mildly cognitively impaired older adults. Neurobiology of aging. 2014;35(7):1695-1699.
  7. Wooten BR, Renzi LM, Moore R, Hammond BR. A practical method of measuring the human temporal contrast sensitivity function. Biomedical optics express. 2010;1(1):47-58.
  8. Wells EF, Bernstein GM, Scott BW, Bennett PJ, Mendelson JR. Critical flicker frequency responses in visual cortex. Experimental brain research. 2001;139(1):106-110.