|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Risk Lowered by
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Pigment found in spinach, egg yolk, corn protect
the macula from blue light
 Sept. 12, 2007 – A new study seems to confirm
previous findings that consuming high levels of the plant pigments
lutein and zeaxanthin may lower the risk for senior citizens of
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness
in older people.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs when
the macula, the area at the back of the retina that produces the
sharpest vision, deteriorates over time.
Lutein and its related compound zeaxanthin are
highly concentrated in the macula, providing a yellow color known as the
macular pigment (MP).The macular pigment protects the macula from the
damaging photo-oxidative effects of blue light.
AMD is a leading cause of irreversible blindness
among elderly people of European descent, according to the report in the
September issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group
assessed 4,519 individuals who were age 60 to 80 when they enrolled in
1992 through 1998.
At that time, photographs were taken of their
retinas to determine if they had AMD, and if so, to which of four stages
the condition had progressed.
The participants also completed a food frequency
questionnaire that measured how often they consumed foods rich in
certain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. These included lutein,
zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, lycopene and vitamins C and E.
| |
Where to find Lutein |
|
| |
Raw Foods
Foods that are naturally rich in lutein
include dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, as
well as other highly colored foods such as corn and egg yolks.
The average American consumes only between 1 and 2 milligrams of
lutein per day – considerably less than the 4-8 milligrams
consumed by following the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2005.
Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements
Lutein is found in hundreds of nutritional
supplements, from multivitamins to eye care formulas to products
containing lutein as the sole ingredient.
Be sure to read the label to see how much
lutein is included in each dose. Lutein is usually listed in
milligrams – mg – though some products list lutein in micrograms
– mcg. One microgram equals one-thousandth of a milligram.
Fortified and Functional Foods
The current Natural Marketing
Institute's Health and Wellness Trends study shows that a
growing number of consumers are interested in the health
benefits of lutein-fortified foods and beverages.
Lutein Information Bureau |
|
The participants were divided into five groups
based on the amount of each nutrient they consumed. Those who had the
highest levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were significantly less likely
than those in the group with the lowest levels to have advanced AMD.
They were also less likely to have large or
numerous intermediate drusen, yellow or white deposits on the retina or
optic nerve head that are a sign of AMD. No associations were seen with
any of the other nutrients.
Lutein and zeaxanthin, also called carotenoids and
found in yellow and dark leafy vegetables, may affect processes through
which light and oxygen damage the eyes, the authors note.
"Lutein and zeaxanthin have the capacity to filter
short-wavelength light associated both with photochemical damage and the
generation of reactive oxygen species that attack cellular lipids,
proteins and nuclear material; these carotenoids also have the capacity
to reduce the potency of nascent reactive oxygen species," which damage
cells, they write.
"If these cross-sectional results can be confirmed
in prospective samples and experimental studies, lutein and zeaxanthin
may be considered as useful agents in food or supplement-based
interventions designed to reduce the risk of AMD," the authors conclude.
Editor's Note: This study was supported by
contracts from the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of
Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Md., with
additional support from Bausch and Lomb, Rochester, N.Y.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
