Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that causes vision problems as a result of the loss of yellow pigment in a person’s eye as they age. A recent study suggests that long-term supplementation with lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3s may help rebuild that pigment and improve the vision of people with AMD.

Lutein and zeaxanthin create the yellow pigmentation of the macula, which is the part of the eye that provides protection from damaging blue light. If the yellow macular pigment is too thin, blue light can penetrate the retina and cause long term damage.

The study included 172 participants with dry AMD. Over the course of twelve months, they participated in one of three interventions:

1. a placebo;

2. 10 mg lutein, 1 mg zeaxanthin, 100 mg DHA omega-3s, 30 mg EPA omega-3s;

3. 20 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, 200 mg DHA omega-3s, 60 mg EPA omega-3s.

After only month month, the researchers noted improvements in the optical density of macular pigment and in blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in both of the supplementation groups while no change was noted in the placebo group.

There was no difference in the level of improvements between the two different doses of supplements, suggesting that the lower doses are sufficient to aid people with AMD.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany. It was published online ahead of print on March 21, 2013, in JAMA Ophthalmology.

This study adds to the growing body of research showing that these important nutrients are essential for eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids able to build macular pigment.

Omega-3s have a host of benefits beyond eye health. They have been shown to improve inflammation, mood, joint mobility, heart health, and the immune system.

If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, if you smoke cigarettes or regularly consume alcohol, you are at higher risk for developing AMD. Consuming more green vegetables, corn, and egg yolk can help increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin.

For higher omega-3 levels, consider eating more oily, dark fish such as tuna and salmon, which are high in DHA and EPA. If you don’t like fish or you’re worried about the high mercury levels found in some fish, consider taking a high quality supplement that has been tested for purity and potency.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

While previous studies have suggested that lutein may help improve vision, there has been little research into the effect of lutein on the vision of people who strain their eyes as a result of their work.

Recently, however, a study was released suggesting that lutein may have beneficial effects for a group that uses their eyes constantly during work – long distance truck drivers.

The study included 120 people who had spent the past 2 years driving an average of 10 hours daily. Over the course of one year, half of the group took a lutein supplement while half took a placebo.

No significant change in visual acuity was seen in either group. However, increased contrast and glare sensitivity was observed in the lutein group, especially in low but not quite dark lighting. This means that lutein supplementation may potentially aid the vision of people who drive at night or have to complete other tasks in low-lit areas.

The study was conducted by researchers at Shanghai Jiao-tong University in China. It was published online ahead of print on January 28, 2013 in the journal Nutrition.

Lutein is one of only two carotenoids that can build macular pigment. The other is zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin create the yellow pigmentation of the macula, which is the part of the eye that provides protection from damaging blue light. If the yellow macular pigment is too thin, blue light can penetrate the retina and cause long term damage.

You can increase your lutein levels by consuming more green vegetables, corn, and egg yolk.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A recent, large-scale analysis by researchers at Harvard suggests that eating foods rich in beta-carotene and lutein may reduce the risk of, or at the very least delay the onset of, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord that control muscle movement. It eventually leads to paralysis, trouble speaking and trouble breathing.

The study focused on five studies that, in total, included over one million participants. The researchers placed the participants into categories based on the amount of carotenoids, lycopene, and vitamin C they consumed.

After identifying 1,093 ALS cases, the researchers determined that the individuals with diets high in beta-carotene and lutein were at the lowest risk of developing ALS. They found no connection between the other nutrients and ALS risk.

This study was published online ahead of print on January 29, 2013 in Annals of Neurology.

Beta-carotene is a type of antioxidant known as a flavonoid. Previous studies have found associations between beta-carotene intake and lower risk of cardiovascular disease, improved oral health, and a lower risk of lung cancer. It can be found in vegetables and fruits that are green, yellow or orange.

Lutein is best known for its eye-health benefits and can be found primarily in dark green vegetables, such as spinach or kale.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an affliction that causes people to lose eye sight as they age. A recent study suggests that consuming more lutein and zeaxanthin – the important carotenoids found in bright red, orange, or yellow fruits and vegetables – may improve retinal function in people suffering from AMD.

Participants in the study included 108 adults diagnosed with AMD and 36 adults of similar age without AMD. For 48 weeks, they took one of the following:

• 10 mg of lutein

• 20 mg of lutein

• 10 mg of lutein plus 10 my mg of zeaxanthin

• a placebo

The researchers measured eye responses and macular pigment densities of all of the participants at the onset of the study, at 24 weeks, and again at 48 weeks. They found that the 20 mg lutein group and the lutein and zeaxanthin group showed improved macular density at the conclusion of the study.

The researchers concluded that supplementation of lutein and zeaxanthin may help improve the degenerative effects of AMD on patients with diagnoses of the illness.

The findings were published online ahead of print on July 24, 2012, in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. The researchers were based at the School of Public Health of Peking University in Beijing.

This study adds to the growing body of research showing that these important nutrients are essential for eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids able to build macular pigment.

If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, if you smoke cigarettes or regularly consume alcohol, you are at higher risk for developing AMD. Consuming more green vegetables, corn, and egg yolk can help increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

People with high cholesterol often use drugs called statins to treat the ailment, but a recent study suggests that taking them could put you at a 50% higher risk of developing age-related cataracts. The results were particularly pronounced in individuals with diabetes, who are already at a greater risk of developing cataracts.

The researchers examined data from the Waterloo Eye Study, which included 6,397 participants, some of whom had diabetes. 56% of those with diabetes were taking statins and 16% of those without diabetes were taking statins.

They found that patients with diabetes who took statins developed cataracts at a faster rate than those with diabetes and not taking statins. Similar rates of developing cataracts were seen for participants with diabetes who did not take statins and participants without diabetes who did take statins.

Individuals without diabetes who were not taking statins developed cataracts at the slowest rate.

According to the researchers, high cholesterol is needed by the crystalline lens membrane to develop cells and maintain lens transparency. Statins may inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis in the human lens.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Their findings were published in the August 2012 issue of Optometry & Visual Science.

Studies have linked several supplements to a reduction in the risk of cataract formation. These include lutein, CoQ10, curcumin and selenium. High intake of sugar and glycemic carbohydrates increases the risk of cataracts.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Breast cancer strikes over 200,000 American women per year and approximately one fourth of those diagnosed succumb to this potentially fatal disease. While the causes of cancers are never definitively known, a recent meta-analysis suggests that eating foods rich in carotenoids – such as fruits and vegetables – may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Carotenoids are the phytochemicals that provide the bright red, orange or yellow coloration to many fruit and vegetables. They serve as antioxidants and can be a good source of vitamin A. They have been shown in previous research to protect against cardiovascular disease, some cancers and macular eye disease.

The researchers found that when carotenoid levels were measured in participant’s blood, results were quite dramatic. Each additional 100 micrograms of total carotenoid per dL of blood intake was associated with a 22% reduced risk of breast cancer. As far as specific carotenoids are concerned:
• each additional 50 micrograms of beta-carotene per dL of blood was associated with a 26% reduced risk;
• each additional 10 micrograms of alpha-carotene per dL of blood was associated with a 18% reduced risk;
• each additional 25 micrograms of lutein per dL of blood was associated with a 32% reduced risk.

The researchers for this study were based at Imperial College in London, UK. They published their results online ahead of print on July 3, 2012, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

If you want to get more carotenoids in your diet, the easiest way is to make sure that your meals contain a variety of colors. Include as many fruits and vegetables as possible and switch it up now and then. The beneficial actions of carotenoids are optimal when a variety of carotenoids are consumed together.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Previous studies have shown that supplementation with a combination of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin is associated with a reduced risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD), an affliction that causes blindness as the pigments in the eye decrease with age. A recent study suggests, however, that the carotenoid meso-zeaxanthin must also be added in order to get the positive eye health benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Meso-zeaxanthin is the dominant carotenoid found within the macula. It generates the most extensive filtration of blue light.

The research was conducted at the Macular Pigment Research Group at the Waterford Institute of Technology. It was published in the August 2012 issue of Experimental Eye Research.

Participants in the study included 31 adults with atypical macular pigment profiles. Over the course of 8 weeks, the participants undertook one of three different daily interventions:

1. 20 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin

2. 10 mg of meso-zeaxanthin, 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin

3. 17 mg of meso-zeaxanthin, 3 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin

At the conclusion of the study, both group 2 and group 3 showed increased macular pigment distributions, but no significant change was noted in the first group. This suggests that meso-zeaxanthin must be present along with lutein and zeaxanthin.

As we age, levels of the pigments in the macula decrease naturally. A thin macular pigment can allow harmful blue light to damage the cells in the eyes, rods and cones, eventually progressing to AMD.

This study adds to the growing body of research showing that these important nutrients are essential for eye health. Lutein, zeathanthin and meso-zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids able to build macular pigment.

You are at a higher risk of developing AMD if your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, if you smoke cigarettes or if you regularly consume alcohol. Consuming more green vegetables, corn, egg yolk and rainbow trout will increase your intake of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A large body of research suggests that the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are important for reducing the risk of age related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55. A new study conducted conducted on human eye cells suggests that these nutrients may also reduce the risk of cataracts.

The research was a joint study between Tufts University researchers and researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China. Their findings were published on December 7, 2011, in the journal Molecular Vision.

Human eye cells were soaked in either lutein, zeaxanthin,, alpha-tocopherol or a placebo for 48 hours. The cells were then exposed to hydrogen peroxide for one hour.

Exposure to the hydrogen peroxide greatly increased levels of oxidized proteins, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage. However, the cells that were first soaked in lutein, zeaxanthin and alpha-tocopherol showed reduced damage compared to the control cells.

Alpha-tocopherol is a form of vitamin E that has previously been shown to help maintain eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids capable of builidng macular pigment.

If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, or if you smoke cigarettes and regularly consume alcohol, you are at higher risk for developing cataracts. Consuming more green vegetables, corn, and egg yolk will increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it more difficult to perform many daily functions such as driving and reading. Now a new study indicates that the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin – previously linked with reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration – are also associated with a major reduction in the risk of cataracts.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and Lapland Central Hospital. It was published online ahead of print on October 18, 2011, in British Journal of Nutrition.

This large study included 1,689 people between the ages of 61 and 80. All of the participants were part of the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Of that population, 113 individuals had age-related cataracts, 108 of which were nuclear cataracts. Nuclear cataracts affect the center of the lens.

The researchers adjusted for lifestyle factors—including age, smoking, weight, alcohol consumption and body mass index and determined that the individuals with the highest blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin also had the lowest incidence of cataracts. The highest levels of lutein were associated with a 42% reduction in risk and the highest levels of zeaxanthin were associated with a 41% reduction in risk.

This study adds to the growing body of research showing that these important nutrients are essential for eye health. Lutein and zeathanthin are the only carotenoids able to build macular pigment. If your diet is low in fruits and vegetables, or if you smoke cigarettes and regularly consumer alcohol, you are at higher risk for developing cataracts. Consuming more green vegetables, corn, and egg yolk will increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Is staring at your computer screen all day making you tired and hurting your eyes? Researchers from Nippon Suisan Kaisha in Japan have released a study showing that a specific combination of fish oil, bilberry extract and lutein may improve mental fatigue and asthenopia.

Asthenopia is a form of eye strain that manifests itself through symptoms such as fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, blurred vision, stiff shoulders, dry eye and headache.

The findings were published in the December 2011 issue of Biomedical Research.

Participants in the study included 20 adults, 11 of whom consumed a supplement daily for four weeks and 9 of whom consumed a placebo. The supplement consisted of 783 mg/d of DHA fish oil, 162 mg/d of EPA fish oil, 59 mg/d of bilberry extract and 17.5 mg/d of lutein.

Asthenopia symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire which was administered before and after the intervention. In order to test mental fatigue, the researchers administered a visual analog scale (VAS) test.

The researchers found improved reported symptoms of both asthenopia and mental fatigue after the four week intervention period and a two week washout period. Additionally, no side effects were observed.

Fish oil alone has been linked to a vast variety of health benefits, including but not limited to heart health, alleviating arthritis pain, improved brain functioning, better moods, improved joint mobility, helping with age related macular degeneration, and aiding your immune system. Bilberry extract may counteract the increased permeability of blood capillaries, while lutein has been associated with improved eye health in numerous studies.

All of these important nutrients can be obtained via dietary sources. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in dark colored fish, bilberry grows on shrubs and has a taste similar to a blueberry, and lutein is present in green vegetables.