Lutein and Macular Degeneration

Lutein is a carotenoid which is a pigmented chemical found in the part of the retina called the macula. Carotenoids come from plants and cannot be produced by animals. Since your body does not produce lutein, you need to acquire it through diet. Lutein may help protect your eyes against vision loss due to macular degeneration.

Fruits and vegetables with a variety of colors can be a good source of lutein, as well as a variety of leafy, green vegetables.

Foods like bell beppers (think organge, yellow, red), carrots, squash, and corn are good sources of lutein. Greens like kale, spinach, collard greens, and broccoli are also good sources of lutein.

One of the best sources of lutein comes from kale. Kale is a “super food” when it comes to carotenoids because it is a great source of both lutein and zeaxanthin.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are being studied in the AREDS 2 study that is currently ongoing in clinical trials. Both these carotenoids show promise to protect your eyes from diseases like age related macular degeneration.

UPDATE: AREDS 2 has been completed and the National Eye Institute reported their AREDS 2 results in May of 2013.

The largest completed study on age related eye disease was the original AREDS, which stands for Age Related Eye Disease Study. The conclusion of AREDS was that you can reduce the risk of vision loss from dry macular degeneration when you supplement your diet with a daily eye vitamin containing specific quantities of beta-carotene, vitamin c, vitamin e, zinc, and copper.

AREDS 2 is now studying the effects of lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids on macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin have shown promising results in prior studies to help protect the macula against damaging blue light, which may help protect your eyesight and may slow down progression of macular degeneration.

If you are at high risk of developing macular degeneration because you have increased risk factors such as a family history of the disease, high blood pressure, poor diet, light eye color, or you are a smoker, then it is recommended that you increase your intake of lutein and zeaxanthin in your diet. You should also consider a vitamin supplement that not only contains lutein and zeaxanthin, but also the 5 antioxidants studied in the original AREDS.