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Lutein and Eye Health

Lutein and Eye Health

Your eyes need a variety of nutrients for optimal health, and one essential nutrient is lutein. In this article, let's explore the benefits of lutein for eye health and how to add it to your diet.

By WOWMD Staff
Updated on
Lutein and Eye Health

Table of contents

Lutein belongs to a group of nutrients called carotenoids, which are found in many plants. Carotenoids give plants their bright colors, like red, orange, and yellow, like spinach, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers.

People often call it the "eye vitamin" because it helps protect the eyes from damage caused by sunlight.

Another important carotenoid for eye health is zeaxanthin. Both lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the retina, especially in the macula, which is a crucial part of the eye for seeing clearly. That's why they are called macular pigments.

Benefits of Lutein for Eye Health

Lutein and zeaxanthin are strong antioxidants that can help protect your eyes in many ways. Research shows that these vitamins for eyes may help:

  • Lower inflammation
  • Protect your eyes from damage caused by free radicals and stress
  • Make your vision sharper.
  • Help you see better in different lighting
  • Reduce the effect of bright lights that can hurt your eyes
  • Shield your eyes from sunlight
  • Prevent the loss of eye cells, which can lead to eye diseases
  • Protect your eyes from harmful blue light from screens
  • Help your retina turn light into signals that your brain can understand
  • Protect against nearsightedness (trouble seeing things far away)
  • Help preterm babies avoid eye problems like retinopathy of prematurity

Lutein is a helpful antioxidant that supports different parts of your body, like your eyes and brain. Here’s how lutein can benefit you:

Supports Eye Health

Lutein and zeaxanthin are good for your eyes. They help protect your eyes from harmful blue light, which can cause problems like age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These nutrients might also help with issues like diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, and uveitis.

Helps Your Brain Work Better

Lutein is found in both your eyes and brain. It’s the main type of carotenoid in your brain. A study suggests that taking lutein might help your brain with tasks like learning, thinking, and remembering things.

Affects Cholesterol

Lutein and zeaxanthin can help HDL (‘good’ cholesterol) grow, which is important because HDL helps remove extra cholesterol from your blood. This can be protective for your heart by preventing plaque buildup in your arteries.

Protects Your Skin

Just like lutein and zeaxanthin protect your eyes from blue light, they can also help your skin. They may help keep your skin hydrated, elastic, and less inflamed, which can slow down signs of aging.

Lutein Dosage

Topic Instruction
Safety of Lutein Lutein is safe to take, even in large amounts. The FDA says it is generally safe for everyone.
Average Lutein Intake Many people in the U.S. get only 1 to 2 mg of lutein a day. Research shows we might need more to help with eye health.
Research on Lutein Dosage A study found that taking 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin daily for 5 years was safe and helped with eye health, causing only minor skin yellowing.
Safe Lutein Dosage Older research suggests up to 20 mg of lutein daily is safe.
General Dosage Recommendation For adults, 10 to 20 mg of lutein daily has been safely taken for up to three years.
Sources of Lutein Lutein is in foods like egg yolks, spinach, kale, corn, and more. For example, 1 cup of cooked spinach has 26 mg of lutein.
Supplement Dosage Many multivitamins have lutein but in small amounts, like 0.25 mg per tablet. Lutein is best absorbed when taken with a high-fat meal.

Lutein Deficiency

There's no set amount of lutein you must eat each day. So, we can't say for sure what "not enough lutein" looks like. But most folks in the U.S. don't get the 6 to 20 mg of lutein per day that experts think is good. This might hurt eye health.

You should try to eat foods with lots of lutein to keep your eyes sharp. This is extra key if your eyes work hard all day. Do you look at screens a lot? Spend time in the sun? Live where there's lots of dirt in the air? Then you really need to think about getting more lutein.

Eating green veggies and bright fruits can help you get more lutein. It's an easy way to help your eyes stay healthy. If you're not sure you're getting enough, talk to a doctor. They can help you find ways to add more lutein to your meals. Remember, good eye health starts with what you eat!

Foods That Are Good Sources Of Lutein

Topic Instruction
Foods with Lutein Lutein is found in many vegetables and some other foods. Leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, and lettuce have the most lutein. Other foods with lutein are broccoli, peas, corn, and even egg yolks.
Lutein-Rich Foods - Kale - Spinach - Broccoli - Lettuce - Peas - Corn - Egg yolks
How to Absorb Lutein Better Your body absorbs lutein better when you eat it with foods that have fat, like nuts or oils. This is because your body uses fat to carry lutein where it’s needed.
Lutein Supplements If it’s hard to get enough lutein from food, you can take supplements. These are often made from marigold flowers and mixed with oil. Sometimes, they are made in labs.
Lutein Amount in Foods
  • Kale (1 cup) = 23.8 mg
  • Spinach (1 cup) = 20.4 mg
  • Collard greens (1 cup) = 14.6 mg
  • Corn (1 cup) = 2.2 mg
  • Broccoli (1 cup) = 1.6 mg
Tips for Getting More Lutein To get more lutein, try to eat more of these foods daily. You can also ask a doctor if taking a supplement is a good idea for you.

Interactions

If you take too much lutein, your skin might turn yellow. This is called carotenemia, but it's not harmful and goes away when you stop taking lutein.

There aren’t any known problems when taking lutein with medicines. But if you take lutein with beta-carotene or vitamin E, your body might not take in as much of those vitamins.

It’s important to read the ingredient list and nutrition facts on a supplement to know what’s in it and how much. You should talk to your doctor about the best dose for you and check if it’s okay to take with other foods, supplements, or medicines.

Tips on Supporting Your Eye Health

Keeping your eyes healthy takes more than just good food. What else can you do to keep your sight sharp? Here are some top tips:

  • Know your status: Eye health often runs in the family. Look at your family's health past and get your eyes checked often.
  • Sun Protection is Key: Always wear shades to guard your eyes from the sun's harsh rays.
  • Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look up from your task. Focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Your eyes will love this quick break!
  • Quit (or don't start) smoking: Smoking hurts your eyes. If you smoke, try to stop. If you don't, don't start.
  • Mind your overall health: Keep your blood sugar steady and stay at a healthy weight. Your eyes will thank you for it.

These simple steps can make a big change in how well your eyes work. Try to mix them into your daily life to keep your vision strong and clear for years to come.

Conclusion

Lutein is a key part of the human eye. You can get it from foods like spinach and egg yolks, or from pills. Studies have looked at how lutein pills might help with eye problems that come with age. The results aren't all the same, though.

To make sure you get enough lutein, eat lots of fruits and veggies. Lutein pills might help slow down AMD, a type of eye problem. But we need more studies to know for sure.

Eating a mix of colorful foods is the best way to keep your eyes healthy. If you think you need more help, talk to an eye doctor. They can tell you if lutein pills might be good for you. Remember, good food and regular check-ups are key to keeping your eyes sharp!

References

  1. The Role of Lutein in Eye-Related Disease https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3708350/
  2. Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Their Roles in Age-Related Macular Degeneration—Neurodegenerative Disease https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8874683/
  3. Lutein and Brain Function https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4638416/
  4. HDL: The "Good" Cholesterol https://medlineplus.gov/hdlthegoodcholesterol.html
  5. Dietary lutein supplementation protects against ultraviolet-radiation-induced erythema: Results of a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464620304898