antioxidant · for blurry vision
Lutein
Builds up in the centre of your retina and filters harsh blue light.
Say that in clinical terms
Increases macular pigment density, filters high-energy blue light, provides retinal neuroprotection against oxidative damage.
How strong is the research?
A review of 12 studies in over 149,000 people found little effect on vision.
6 papers read, 4 supporting, 1 against.
Tested as: Lutein (~10mg/day) and zeaxanthin (~2mg/day) supplementation for age-related macular degeneration
Who was studied: Adults mostly over 55, at risk of or diagnosed with macular degeneration.
How much to take
daily
10–20 mg
Lutein:Zeaxanthin ratio of 5:1 recommended. Take with dietary fat.
Before you take it
- No established NIH/IOM Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for lutein or zeaxanthin; the Food and Nutrition Board has not set a formal UL for either carotenoid.
- Carotenodermia (benign, reversible yellowing of skin and mucous membranes) has been reported in isolated case reports involving prolonged high-dose use, with cases documented at doses above approximately 20 mg/day; no formal adverse-event threshold is established.
- Absorption of lutein and zeaxanthin is substantially reduced by orlistat (intestinal fat-absorption blocker) and bile acid sequestrants (e.g., cholestyramine, colestipol); timing separation or clinical monitoring is advisable when co-administered.
- High-dose beta-carotene co-supplementation competes with lutein and zeaxanthin for intestinal absorption via shared carotenoid transporters; high beta-carotene doses may reduce lutein/zeaxanthin bioavailability.
What we make of it
It pools observational studies of diet, not trials of supplements.
The detail
The analysis combines studies observing what people ate and what happened to their eyes. It is not a pooling of trials, and its outcome was macular degeneration risk rather than vision itself.