Preamble of Lutein
A while ago, the Olympic games set off a wave of enthusiasm, and I think everyone has not missed it! I myself was no exception, and I was so overwhelmed that I even began to look forward to the Paris Olympics in 3 years. However, I don’t know if everyone feels that their eyes are very sour and tired while staring at the screen for a long time, and their vision is becoming more and more blurred?
Modern science and technology are developed, and office workers, students, and even silver-haired people who have used computers, tablets, and mobile phones for a long time cannot escape the clutches of 3C, and their eyesight is gradually declining. Therefore, it is often heard that lutein in advertisements is the savior of the 3C family.
What is macula
Before you know lutein, let’s get to know the macula. The macula, located in the very center of the retina, is the most sensitive part of the eye structure to identify light and color.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are the main sources of nutrients for the macula of the eye. Both of these pigments belong to carotenoids and have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, light absorption, and blue light protection. It has also been shown to delay macular degeneration, myopia and cataracts. Therefore, it is often used as a health product to maintain vision.
Commercially available lutein common active ingredients
Most of the lutein health foods on the market today contain zeaxanthin, mountain mulberry extract, vitamins A, E, DHA, EPA, etc., and most of the ingredients are oil-soluble Therefore, it is often made into a capsule form, and it is also recommended that the effect will be optimal when taken after meals.
Among them, mountain mulberry is rich in anthocyanins, which can maintain normal intraocular pressure, relieve fatigue, improve night vision clarity, and prevent night blindness. Vitamins A and E are fat-soluble vitamins that can antioxidant and protect eye cells from oxidative stress. Other additives such as DHA and EPA are common ingredients in fish oil, rich in Omega-3 (unsaturated fatty acids), and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to help enhance the protection of cells.
All in all, such health foods mainly achieve cellular protection effects through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. However, the benefits of lutein are not immediate, and must be taken continuously for 2 to 4 months to significantly increase the lutein concentration in the macula of the retina to achieve anti-blue light effect.
Free lutein? Esterified lutein?
Finally, remind everyone to pay attention to whether what they buy is free lutein at the same time. In general, lutein can be divided into free form and ester form. The esterified type needs to be absorbed by enzyme action, while the free type can be directly absorbed by the small intestine, and the absorption efficiency is relatively good. In addition, when consumers buy related health foods, they must not forget to pay attention to the differences in ingredients and content of different brands in order to find the most suitable products for themselves!
References:
Pictures are from Pixabay.com 🔗
Li, L. H., J. C. Lee, H. H. Leung, W. C. Lam, Z. Fu and A. C. Y. Lo (2020). “Lutein Supplementation for Eye Diseases.” Nutrients 12(6). 🔗
Kijlstra, A., Y. Tian, E. R. Kelly and T. T. Berendschot (2012). “Lutein: more than just a filter for blue light.” Prog Retin Eye Res 31(4): 303-315. 🔗
Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Research, G. (2013). “Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial.” JAMA 309(19): 2005-2015. 🔗
