Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Study suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin may improve eye function in those in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration. 

Age-related macular degeneration is a common eye condition and a leading cause of vision loss among people age 50 and older. It causes vision loss in more than 200,000 Americans every year (7) and is expected to increase to 3 million cases of vision loss over the next 20 years (8). The condition is characterized by damage to a structure in the eye called the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina which lets us see objects that are straight ahead. Age-related macular degeneration occurs mostly after the age 60 with risk factors that include smoking (doubles the risk), race (most common in Caucasian people), and family history (3).

Now a new study (4) suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin may improve eye function in those in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration. The study involved 112 patients between the ages of 62 and 76 with early age-related macular degeneration. They were assigned to one of four groups (23 subjects per group) for two years:

  • Group 1: Received 10 milligrams lutein per day
  • Group 2: Received 20 mg lutein per day
  • Group 3: Received 10 mg lutein + 10 mg zeaxanthin per day
  • Group 4: Received placebo (control group)

Researchers measured eye function in the form of optical density and retinal sensitivity.

After two years, while both lutein groups (10 mg and 20 mg groups) experienced a 36.1% greater increase in optical density compared to the control group (0.442/0.441 vs. 0.324 increase, respectively, in optical density, p < 0.001). The lutein + zeaxanthin group experienced a 18.2% greater increase (0.383 vs. 0.324 increase, p < 0.05).

In regards to retinal sensitivity, (those in the control group had average retinal sensitivity of 10.3 decibels). Those in the 10 mg lutein group had a 29.8% increase in sensitivity (13.37 vs. 10.3 decibels p < 0.01) compared to a 21.8% increase in the 20 mg lutein group (12.55 versus 10.3 decibels , p < 0.05). The lutein/zexanthin group experienced a 9.7% increase in retinal sensitivity after two years (11.3 vs. 10.3 decibels), but statistical significance was not reached. Unfortunately, the researchers did not provide the original retinal sensitivities in the groups so absolute increases/decreases could not be calculated.

The researchers explained that improving optical density is important because low optical density may be a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration (5). The increase in retinal sensitivity is thought to be a direct result of the increase in optical density (6, 7).

For the researchers, “this study has shown that optical density can be augmented and visual function enhanced following supplementation with [lutein and zeaxanthin] in subjects with early AMD” but that “The effect of optical density augmentation on age-related macular degeneration progression warrants further investigation.”

Source: Huang, Yang-Mu, Hong-Liang Dou, Fei-Fei Huang, Xian-Rong Xu, Zhi-Yong Zou, Xin-Rong Lu, and Xiao-Ming Lin. “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 (2014): bjophthalmol-2014.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted July 9, 2015.

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. National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute and Prevent Blindness America. Vision Problems in the US: Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in America. Schaumburg, Ill: Prevent Blindness America; 2002
  2. Eye Disease Prevalence Research Group. Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122:564-572
  3. “Facts About Age-Related Macular Degeneration” posted on the National Eye Institute website
  4. Huang YM. 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. Br J Ophthalmol 2015 Mar;99(3):371-5. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-305503. Epub 2014 Sep 16
  5. Weigert G, Kaya S, Pemp B, et al. Effects of lutein supplementation on macular pigment optical density and visual acuity in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011;52:8174–8
  6. Ma L, Dou HL, Huang YM, et al. Improvement of retinal function in early age-related macular degeneration after lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation: a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Ophthalmol 2012;154:625–34.
  7. Parisi V, Tedeschi M, Gallinaro G, et al. Carotenoids and antioxidants in age-related maculopathy Italian study: multifocal electroretinogram modifications after 1 year. Ophthalmology 2008;115:324–33