Puberty is not the only stage of the life of a person in which the body goes through deep changes. By age 50, and as we get closer to our 60th birthday, we start feeling the weight of the years in our bodies. The bad habits we had begin to take their toll and our senses don’t feel as sharp as they used to be. This includes our eyesight. Many of us will experience the usual changes like presbyopia, but there are others that may go through more serious age-related eye disorders. The positive side is that most of them can be prevented and treated, so this time we’ll learn how lutein can reduce age-related eye disorders.
What is Lutein and where is it found naturally?
In the same way that chlorophyll is responsible for the green pigments of vegetables’ leaves and stalks, there are substances that are responsible for the orange and yellow colors of fruits and vegetables. These are called carotenoids and have many beneficial properties for the human body.
Along with zeaxanthin, lutein is a type of carotenoid that belongs to the xanthophylls’ group. The key aspect of lutein is that beyond being a pigment, it has an important role in our body as an antioxidant for our organism. However, its participation in our eye health is probably the most significant part.
The retina of our eyes has a region called “macula”, which is in charge of central vision, the process that transforms light into signals so the brain can understand what we see. The macula has high concentrations of both lutein and zeaxanthin.
These two carotenoids protect the retina from exposure to blue light, which can damage the eye. They protect the eyes from the sun and the light that comes from the screens of our devices. As lutein is an antioxidant, it also prevents free radicals from having negative effects on the eye 1,2.
Unfortunately, the human body cannot produce it, so we must maintain lutein intake levels in order to reduce age-related eye disorders. This can be done by including in our diet the fruits and vegetables that have it.
A recent survey has shown that the amount of lutein and other nutrients that people consume is below the levels recommended, and the importance of educating about how the consumption of lutein can reduce age-related eye disorders has been emphasized3.
Lutein is mainly present in food with yellow tones and green leaves. Include in your diet passion fruit, kale, corn, spinach, avocado, and mango to increase the levels of lutein in your body.
Lutein reduces the onset of age-related eye diseases
Different clinical studies have shown the effectiveness of lutein to reduce the occurrence of the following age-related eye diseases:
Cataracts
In order to process and collect light on the retina, the lens must be flexible and remain clear so nothing interferes with our vision. With time, lenses lose their flexibility, and in some cases, they become cloudy. This is what causes cataracts.
It is estimated that 51% of blindness in the world is caused by cataracts, being the first cause of blindness4. The only way of treating it is through surgery in which the lens of the eye are replaced.
However, several studies have proved that consuming lutein can reduce the risk of developing cataracts5, 6, especially when combined with zeaxanthin.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
As we explained above, the macula region of the eye is in charge of central vision. This means that detailed vision will depend on the macula, so the ability to read or to distinguish details will be affected.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) occurs when this region starts losing cells. There’s no treatment that can completely stop this disease, but laser, medication, and supplements can reduce its effects.
According to the World Health Organization. AMD is the third cause of blindness worldwide and the first one in developed countries7.
Different studies have proved that consuming lutein, especially through supplements, can be very effective to treat and reduce the effects of AMD8, 9. These have even shown that it can improve visual performance when used with zeaxanthin10.
How can lutein supplements help?
To date, there isn’t a recommended daily intake for lutein. However, the majority of Western diets are low in this nutrient.
Health benefits from studies appeared when consuming 10 mg of lutein per day. To put it into perspective, you would have to eat half a cup of kale, half a cup of cooked spinach, or four coups of corn per day to get that amount of lutein11.
This is why supplements are very helpful. If you aren’t able to consume 10 mg per day through your regular diet, the best option is taking supplements.
Studies have shown how effective they are to reduce the risk of developing age-related eye diseases12, 13. In fact, the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) showed that supplements that included lutein prevented AMD from worsening in patients that already had it by 25%14.
Conclusion
Thinking about aging and the possibility of losing your ability to see the world can be very frightening, but the most important is to be informed and start acting. By simply changing our diets or adding supplements we can achieve drastic and positive changes for our eye health.