Lutein and Zeaxanthin – More Than Just Eye Support

We’ve all heard the phrase “Eat the rainbow,” but what benefits does that actually have? Of course, when we are eating foods with more color, we are getting fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but we’re also getting important nutrients called carotenoids. 

Carotenoids are plant pigments that represent red, orange, and yellow colors. So, if you have ever eaten carrots, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, or red bell peppers, you have eaten what is known as a carotenoid.¹ 

Two specific types of carotenoids, also known as xanthophylls, are lutein and zeaxanthin, which play an especially important role in our health because they act like antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.² And, despite carotenoids representing red, orange, and yellow colors in plants, lutein and zeaxanthin foods also include dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli, because these nutrients are synthesized and absorbed by the growing plants. 

Lutein and zeaxanthin must be obtained through food in our diet or via supplementation and are best absorbed when consumed with a source of fat, like avocado or olive oil. 

Lutein and zeaxanthin benefits 

Eye health – If you were told to eat your carrots for good eyesight as a kid, then that person was on the right track! 

Eating foods rich in carotenoids, specifically lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, helps to maintain good eye health by protecting the retina from potential damage caused by light exposure. Lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye help to absorb light, both from UV rays and from blue-light waves, preventing deterioration in sensitive layers of the retina. 

Not only do these nutrients help protect our eyes, but they also support good vision by increasing the contrast between objects and their background, helping us to discriminate different visual stimuli.³ 

An adequate intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is also associated with a decreased risk of age-related eye diseases, like macular degeneration or cataracts. These diseases are inversely associated with the level of carotenoids in the eye, which is heavily influenced by diet and nutrient intake, and helps protect against oxidative stress.³ In other words, the more fruits and veggies you eat, the more likely you are to support the health of your eyes as you age.

For optimal eye health, it is recommended to consume between 6 and 14 mg of dietary lutein per day, which is roughly equivalent to 1 cup of cooked kale or spinach. In the United States, the average daily intake is about 1.7 mg, significantly below the recommended amount.³ 

Skin health – Each day, our skin is exposed to environmental factors that can cause damage, including the sun’s UV rays, air pollution, smoking, and more, leading to increased oxidative stress. Because we are frequently exposed to the sun’s UV rays, protecting our skin is one of the primary steps we can take, which can be achieved by applying sunscreen and increasing our intake of dietary (and even topical) carotenoids.⁴ 

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 40 healthy middle-aged men and women were given lutein and zeaxanthin orally and topically. Researchers found that no matter if the supplement was given orally or topically, beneficial skin effects were found, including enhanced UV protection, skin hydration, elasticity, and skin surface lipids.* Not only did increased lutein and zeaxanthin protect against skin damage from UV rays, but it also helped to improve the overall health and quality of the skin.*⁴ 

Cognitive function – Certain carotenoids play a role in memory performance, specifically by relying on the function of the hippocampus, with lutein being one of them. Lutein is unique because its accumulation in neural tissue is up to five-times greater than that of other carotenoids, and it is involved in various areas of cognition, including memory. 

Inflammation can negatively impact the function of the hippocampus, particularly because it can inhibit the mechanisms underlying memory function, and this is where lutein benefits can come into play – lutein can help to curb inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways in this area of the brain. Additionally, we know that inflammation can be reduced to some extent through fruit and vegetable intake, which increases our carotenoid consumption.¹ 

In one study, researchers found that a higher serum lutein concentration was positively associated with better relational memory performance on a spatial reconstruction task. This task required participants to place objects back in the locations where they had previously studied them, similar to a matching game. This was used to assess memory, which is linked to the function of the hippocampus. Overall, this study led researchers to conclude that serum carotenoid status, including lutein and zeaxanthin, may positively impact memory performance.¹

Another study measured lutein and zeaxanthin levels in older adults and found that higher serum lutein and zeaxanthin may promote brain health and cognition in older adults by enhancing neurobiological efficiency in a variety of brain regions that support visual perception and decision-making.⁵ 

Athletic performance – Sports and many active professions, like pilots or military personnel, rely on being able to see and recognize objects from a distance. The ability to do this varies from person to person, despite age, health, fitness, and visual activity. 

Blue haze, an atmospheric haze, obscures objects in the distance and affects image clarity and contrast. You may notice some people wearing yellow-tinted lenses, also known as blue-light glasses, to improve distance sight. Aside from wearing blue-light glasses, eating foods rich in carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin can ease the harmful effects of bright lights while enhancing contrast for improved vision outdoors.⁶ 

Additionally, one study tested the effects of higher lutein and zeaxanthin levels on visual and motor functions. Researchers discovered that participants with higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin demonstrated improved balance, reaction time, and the ability to coordinate a movement with a visual stimulus, such as swinging a bat to hit a baseball. Small improvements in vision can lead to significant improvements in athletic performance, where success can often come down to the millisecond.⁶ 

Multiple studies have concluded that a dietary intervention that increases fruit and vegetable intake in athletes, thereby increasing lutein and zeaxanthin intake, can potentially increase their visual range, leading to better hand-eye coordination, distance recognition, and athletic performance.⁶ 

An athlete’s high activity level and focus on overall caloric intake can lead to fruits and vegetables being pushed to the wayside. This is where options like smoothies can come in handy. An athlete can pack a lot of nutrients into an easy, on-the-go drink, that also happens to be chock-full of lutein and zeaxanthin. 

What are the best dietary sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin? 

As previously mentioned, these common carotenoids are typically found in red, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables. However, dark leafy greens contain higher amounts of lutein and can be a great way to add these anti-inflammatory nutrients. Below are the lutein and zeaxanthin amounts found in several common food sources⁷: 

References

1. Cannavale CN, Hassevoort KM, Edwards CG, et al. Serum lutein is related to relational memory performance. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):768. Published 2019 Apr 2. doi:10.3390/nu11040768
2. Mrowicka M, Mrowicki J, Kucharska E, Majsterek I. Lutein and zeaxanthin and their roles in age-related macular degeneration-neurodegenerative disease. Nutrients. 2022;14(4):827. Published 2022 Feb 16. doi:10.3390/nu14040827
3. Johra FT, Bepari AK, Bristy AT, Reza HM. A mechanistic review of β-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin in eye health and disease. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(11):1046. Published 2020 Oct 26. doi:10.3390/antiox9111046
4. Balić A, Mokos M. Do we utilize our knowledge of the skin protective effects of carotenoids enough?. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019;8(8):259. Published 2019 Jul 31. doi:10.3390/antiox8080259
5. Mewborn CM, Lindbergh CA, Robinson TL, et al. Lutein and zeaxanthin are positively associated with visual–spatial functioning in older adults: An fMRI study. Nutrients. 2018; 10(4):458. 
6. Harth JB, Renzi-Hammond LM, Hammond BR Jr. A dietary strategy for optimizing the visual range of athletes. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2023;51(3):103-108. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000318
7. Eisenhauer B, Natoli S, Liew G, Flood VM. Lutein and zeaxanthin-food sources, bioavailability  and dietary variety in age-related macular  degeneration protection. Nutrients. 2017;9(2):120. Published 2017 Feb 9. doi:10.3390/nu9020120