Lutein: Benefits for eye health and where to get it

Carlos Sánchez 7 min. of reading Ocular Health Leave a comment

Lutein is a natural antioxidant found in foods such as egg yolks and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage.
Lutein delays macular degeneration and cataract formation, and helps keep the skin hydrated and elastic from within.
Lutein is absorbed by the macula of the eye and filters out harmful waves of ultraviolet light from the sun, protecting the macula from damage caused by free radicals.
Research has shown that lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of cataracts and cardiovascular disease.

Did you know that lutein is a substance with extraordinary benefits for eye health? As well as delaying macular degeneration and cataract formation, it also helps to keep the skin hydrated and elastic from the inside out.

Lutein is a natural antioxidant found in foods such as egg yolks and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage.

In this post, you will find out everything you need to know about this substance and how you can add it to your diet to improve your body’s health.

Index

1 Lutein properties and case studies
2 Natural sources of lutein and how to take it
3 Are there any side effects of lutein?

Lutein properties and case studies

Although its main benefits are intended to support the condition of the eyes, it has many health benefits:

1. It prevents macular degeneration

Lutein and eye health are two concepts that go hand in hand. Lutein is renowned for its ability to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Macular degeneration is a degenerative disease of such severity that it is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 65. The disease results in the production of a macula lutea or “yellow spot”, the sharpest point of vision in the retina. It can occur in two forms:

Dry macular degeneration: this is the most common and is caused by the accumulation of small yellow dots behind the macula, which can lead to a loss of visual acuity.
Wet macular degeneration: this is caused by a poor metabolic state of the retinal blood vessels and can lead to retinal detachment.

Lutein is ingested through the diet and absorbed by the macula of the eye.

Its properties filter out harmful waves of ultraviolet light from the sun, protecting the macula from damage caused by free radicals.

An eye with a healthy macula provides optimal central vision. Excessive exposure over a number of years to aggressive light factors eventually deteriorates the macula and leads to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Clinical research has shown that, in conjunction with zeaxanthin, lutein reduces the intensity of wavelengths in the light spectrum that cause up to 90% of retinal damage.

A study of 77 nurses aged 45-71 years revealed that:

Those who took more lutein and zeaxanthin had a 22% lower risk of cataracts than those who did not take these nutrients.
Those who consumed large amounts of spinach and cabbage (foods rich in lutein) saw a reduced risk of cataracts.

Another similar study involving 36 men aged 45-75 years showed that those who consumed higher doses of carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene) and vitamin A had a 19% lower risk of developing cataracts than those who did not.

2. It promotes skin health

By now, you probably know that environmental factors cause damage to each and every layer of the dermis, as this information is widespread.

Ultraviolet light wavelengths (UVB) only penetrate the outer layers, but longer wavelengths (UVA), on the other hand, penetrate both the outer and inner layers.

Visible light penetrates all layers of the dermis, damaging them and causing them to lose the antioxidant capacity they are endowed with to counteract the harmful effects of free radicals.

A clinical study conducted in 2016 showed that:

Taking 10 mg of lutein daily increases the hydration and elasticity of the dermis, reducing lipid peroxidation, which is essential for maintaining a healthy complexion and acts as a barrier to slow the loss of moisture from the dermis.
The dermis particularly benefits from the topical application of lutein.
You can increase the latter benefit by combining it with oral intake of food supplements of this substance.

3. It improves cardiovascular health

It has been widely proven that carotenoids protect the heart.

Epidemiological studies show that those who eat leafy green fruits and vegetables significantly reduce their chances of heart disease and stroke.

In this respect, the Mediterranean diet has many benefits and can boast a lower rate of death from coronary heart disease among those who follow it.

In addition to the above, when the ingredients of this diet were analysed, it was found that the carotenoids in the diet have a high lutein content.

Lutein intake has been shown to reduce the mortality rate associated with heart disease, although the exact mechanisms are not known with certainty.

Researchers suggest that its antioxidant properties may be the reason behind this protective effect.

Lutein can improve the thickness of the carotid artery, reduce inflammation of the arteries and reduce the size of lesions in the aortic arch.

4. Benefits of lutein in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Lutein is a substance with many benefits for breast tissue, uterine tissue and the ovaries. A line of research is currently underway into its other properties for the body. These include the benefits of this supplement in the context of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Although the exact causes are not known, it is known that lutein raises blood plasma levels during pregnancy.

Finally, lutein is also known to be present in umbilical cord blood and colostrum, suggesting that it may be a component of breast milk.

Natural sources of lutein and how to take it

Lutein is an essential nutrient found in several organs and the only way to obtain it is through diet or supplementation. It is mainly found in the eyes, dermis, blood, cervix, breasts and brain.

Foods rich in lutein include: kale, spinach, peppers, green cabbage, broccoli, maize, peas, papaya, eggs and some fruits such as oranges, melons, mangoes and pears.

For this reason, it is advisable to eat vegetables with a dark green pigmentation. However, if your lifestyle or dietary preferences do not allow you to eat too many foods with a high lutein content, do not hesitate to take supplementation:

Lutein + Zeaxanthin 20mg/1mg by EssentialSeries.

Do you want to sufficiently cover your body’s lutein requirements? Then you should take 40 mg a day.

It is unlikely that even people who follow a balanced diet are likely to eat, for example, a heaping plate of spinach each day containing the recommended 6-10 mg.

Whatever the cause, what you need to avoid is a deficiency in your body, so it is best to take a food supplement to ensure the best possible state of your eye and skin health.

Are there any side effects of lutein?

The few side effects that have been reported with lutein are related to taking a higher dose than recommended by the manufacturer and therefore disappear as soon as the dose is reduced.