Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid found in many vegetables and fruits, particularly green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach. Zeaxanthin and lutein are becoming more popular since we now know that they have an important role in eye health and eyesight. Supplementation can improve vision and that is why many people supplement with an eye formula daily for this visual enhancement benefit. The ideal daily intake of this nutrient in food is not known, nor do we know for certain whether taking this carotenoid as a supplement for many months or years is a healthy way to insure good vision. For the time being I advise that you take less rather than more and take breaks from use.
Eyesight Rx with Zeaxanthin supplement and Lutein
for better vision within a few days
Unlike some vision products that provide nutrients and herbs for long term
healthy eyesight support, and prevention of visual impairment, but don't
seem to have much of an immediate effect on visual acuity, Eyesight Rx was formulated to provide a noticeable
eyesight improvement within days of use.
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Reports from users indicate enhanced clarity of vision, colors
being brighter, better focus, and overall improvement in close and
distance vision. We've had reports of some people noticing this effect
within hours, while most people notice improved eyesight within
several days or even a week or two later.
Ingredients in Eyesight Rx include:
Citrus bioflavonoids (hesperidin, flavonols, flavones,
flavonoids, naringenin, and
quercetin)
Mixed carotenoids (alpha carotene,
astaxanthin, beta carotene, cryptoxanthin,
Lycopene,
Zeaxanthin and
Lutein
)
Bilberry
extract (Vaccinium myrtillus).
Jujube extract
Ginkgo biloba
blood vessel circulation enhancer
Mucuna pruriens
extract (Cowhage)
Cinnamon herb (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
Lycium berry extract (Lycium Barbarum)
Sarsaparila (Sarsaparilla Smilax)
MultiVit
Rx -
High Quality Daily Vitamins and Minerals with Zeaxanthin supplement and Lutein
This popular MultiVit Rx product
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Zeaxanthin side effects,
safety, risk, danger
Not enough research has been done to determine if there are side effects
or risk
from excess ingestion. Perhaps there could be slight distortion
in vision if too high amounts are consumed which may interfere
with the proper balance in the retina of zeaxanthin, lutein, and other
carotenoids and substances necessary for optimal vision health.
Food sources of zeaxanthin
and lutein, role of diet
These carotenoid antioxidants are found in spinach, kale, eggs, turnip greens,
collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas and
Brussels sprouts. Foods that contain
particularly high amounts are kale and spinach. Zeaxanthin supplement is often made from marigold flowers. A typical
Marigold flower carotenoid profile is 80 percent lutein and 5 percent zeaxanthin.
Different marigold extracts have different concentrations.
Benefits of zeaxanthin supplement and from food sources
Cataract prevention
Associations between age-related nuclear cataract and lutein and zeaxanthin in
the diet and serum in the Carotenoids in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, an
Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative.
Arch Ophthalmol. 2008. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual
Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI USA.
Diets rich in lutein and zeaxanthin are moderately associated with
decreased prevalence of nuclear cataract in older women. However, other
protective aspects of such diets may in part explain these relationships.
Nutrients. Jan 22 2014. Association between Lutein and Zeaxanthin Status and the Risk of Cataract: A Meta-Analysis. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between blood lutein and zeaxanthin concentration and the risk of age-related cataract (ARC). MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies up to April 2013. Meta-analysis was conducted to obtain pooled relative risks (RRs) for the highest-versus-lowest categories of blood lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations. One cohort study and seven cross-sectional studies were included in the meta-analysis. There were significant inverse associations between nuclear cataract and blood lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations, with the pooled RRs ranging from 0.63 for zeaxanthin to 0.73 for lutein. A stronger association between nuclear cataract and blood zeaxanthin might be noted for the studies conducted in the European Nations. Blood lutein and zeaxanthin were also noted to lead towards a decrease in the risk of cortical cataract and subcapsular cataract; however, these pooled RRs were not statistically significant, with the exception of a marginal association between lutein and subcapsular cataract. Our results suggest that high blood lutein and zeaxanthin are significantly associated with a decrease in the risk of nuclear cataract. However, no significant associations were found for ARC in other regions of the lens.
Macular degeneration
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014. Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation and
association with visual function in age-related macular degeneration. To
evaluate the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on visual function in randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) of AMD patients. Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation
is a safe strategy for improving visual performance of AMD patients, which
mainly showed in a dose-response relationship.
Orv Hetil. 2015. Non-pharmacologic therapy of age-related macular degeneration, based on the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Non-pharmacological interventions which may have beneficial effect in endothelial dysfunction include (1) smoking cessation; (2) reduction of increased body weight; (3) adequate physical activity; (4) appropriate diet (a) proper dose of flavonoids, polyphenols and kurcumin; (b) omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid; (c) carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin), (d) management of dietary glycemic index, (e) caloric restriction, and (5) elimination of stressful lifestyle.
Molecules. 2017. The Pharmacological Effects of Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Visual Disorders and Cognition Diseases. Lutein and zeaxanthin are dietary carotenoids derived from dark green leafy vegetables, orange and yellow fruits that form the macular pigment of the human eyes. It is hypothesized that they protect against visual disorders and cognition diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), age-related cataract (ARC), cognition diseases, ischemic/hypoxia induced retinopathy, light damage of the retina, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment, uveitis and diabetic retinopathy. The mechanism by which they are involved in the prevention of eye diseases may be due their physical blue light filtration properties and local antioxidant activity. In addition to their protective roles against light-induced oxidative damage, there are increasing evidences that they may also improve normal ocular function by enhancing contrast sensitivity and by reducing glare disability. Surveys about lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation have indicated that moderate intakes are associated with decreased AMD risk and less visual impairment.
Neuroblastoma
The photoreceptor protector zeaxanthin induces cell
death in neuroblastoma cells.
Anticancer Res. 2005.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo. Teramo, Italy.
The dietary carotenoid zeaxanthin protects against age-related eye
disease by preventing apoptosis in photoreceptor cells. This study examined its
effect on neuroblastoma cells in which apoptosis can be induced
with lipid peroxidation products. Since zeaxanthin can inhibit lipid
peroxidation and beta-carotene inhibits lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, it was of
concern that zeaxanthin might inhibit apoptosis in these cancer cells. Zeaxanthin is a remarkable dietary factor
that is able to induce apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells while being able to
prevent apoptosis in healthy cells.
Zeaxanthin and vision, visual
acuity
When people are polled about their health concerns, loss of vision is one
of the top conditions listed. While some nutrients that support eye health are
well-known and growing in popularity, recent attention is focusing on natural
zeaxanthin as an important addition to eye health supplementation. Zeaxanthin
(pronounced zee-uh-zan’-thin) is a dietary carotenoid found mostly in the
macula, the central part of the retina in the eye that is responsible for most
fine vision. Zeaxanthin, like its better-known cousin lutein, is thought to be a
critical nutrient for eye health and can help guard against age-related vision
loss. People who are at risk include those over 50 years old, people who smoke,
those with hypertension and those with a family history of AMD. It affects the
central vision, making it difficult to impossible to read, drive, and recognize
faces. While not physically painful, AMD is debilitating. Lutein has become
increasingly popular, and is now included in many multivitamins. Zeaxanthin,
however, is only beginning to be recognized as an important supplement by the
general population.
Zeaxanthin research studies
Enhanced bioavailability of zeaxanthin in a milk-based formulation of wolfberry
Br J Nutr. 2006.
The carotenoid zeaxanthin is concentrated within the macula. Increased macular
zeaxanthin is suggested to lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
The small red berry, wolfberry (Fructus barbarum; Gou Qi Zi and Kei Tze), is
one of the richest natural sources of zeaxanthin. However, carotenoid
bioavailability is low, and food-based products with enhanced bioavailability
are of interest. The present study investigated its bioavailability from
three wolfberry formulations. Results showed clearly that homogenisation of
wolfberry in hot skimmed milk results in a formulation that has a 3-fold
enhanced bioavailability of zeaxanthin compared with both the 'classical' hot
water and warm skimmed milk treatment of the berries.
Human eye cells treated with lutein and zeaxanthin showed less damage after being exposed to ultraviolet rays, the sunlight rays considered a major contributor to cataracts. Cataracts occur when proteins in the eye's lens begin to clump together, forming a milky cloud that obscures vision. It is thought that the more sunlight a person is exposed to in life, the greater the risk for cataracts. Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus grew human lens cells in a laboratory, then added lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, or left the cells alone. The researchers then exposed the eye cells to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, in order to mimic the effect of sunlight. Lens cells mixed with both showed significantly less damage following UV-exposure than cells that had no shielding from antioxidants. Although vitamin E appeared to offer some protection from UV rays, it was surpassed by both lutein and zeaxanthin. It's always better to eat antioxidant-rich foods than supplements, in order to get the benefits of other healthy substances present in foods. Journal of Nutrition, 2004.
Macular carotenoids: zeaxanthin and lutein.
Dev Ophthalmol. 2005.
The yellow color of the macula lutea is due to the presence of the
carotenoid pigments zeaxanthin and lutein. In contrast to human blood and
tissues, no other major carotenoids including Beta-carotene or lycopene are
found in this tissue. The macular carotenoids are suggested to play a role in
the protection of the retina against light-induced damage. Epidemiological
studies provide some evidence that an increased consumption of lutein and
zeaxanthin with the diet is associated with a lowered risk for age-related
macular degeneration, a disease with increasing incidence in the elderly.
Protecting ocular tissue against photooxidative damage carotenoids may act in
two ways: first as filters for damaging blue light, and second as antioxidants
quenching excited triplet state molecules or singlet molecular oxygen and
scavenge further reactive oxygen species like lipid peroxides or the superoxide
radical anion.
Fasting plasma zeaxanthin response to Fructus barbarum (Kei Tze) in a food-based human supplementation trial.
Br J Nutr. 2005.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common disorder that causes
irreversible loss of central vision. Increased intake of foods containing
zeaxanthin may be effective in preventing AMD because the macula accumulates
zeaxanthin and lutein, oxygenated carotenoids with antioxidant and blue
light-absorbing properties. Lycium barbarum L. is a small red berry known as
Fructus lycii and wolfberry in the West, and Kei Tze and Gou Qi Zi in Asia.
Wolfberry is rich in zeaxanthin dipalmitate, and is valued in Chinese culture
for being good for vision. The aim of this study, which was a single-blinded,
placebo-controlled, human intervention trial of parallel design, was to provide
data on how fasting plasma zeaxanthin concentration changes as a result of
dietary supplementation with whole wolfberries. Fasting blood was collected from
healthy, consenting subjects; fourteen subjects took 15 g/d wolfberry (estimated
to contain almost 3 mg zeaxanthin) for 28 d. Repeat fasting blood was collected
on day 29. Age- and sex-matched controls (n 13) took no wolfberry. Responses in
the two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. After supplementation,
plasma zeaxanthin increased 2.5 fold. This human supplementation trial
shows that zeaxanthin in whole wolfberries is bioavailable and that intake of a
modest daily amount markedly increases fasting plasma zeaxanthin levels. These
new data will support further study of dietary strategies to maintain macular
pigment density.
Plasma kinetics of zeaxanthin and 3'-dehydro-lutein
after multiple oral doses of synthetic zeaxanthin.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2004.
The objective
was to investigate the plasma kinetics of synthetic zeaxanthin after repeated
oral doses and to assess the possible influence of other carotenoids on plasma
concentrations. Long-term oral intake of 1 and 10 mg zeaxanthin as beadlets increases plasma
zeaxanthin concentrations approximately 4- and 20-fold, respectively. Evidence
that all-E-3-dehydro-lutein is formed from zeaxanthin was strong.
Questions
Q. Can a zeaxanthin supplement be taken the same day as
serrapeptase enzyme or
curcumin?
A. I am not sure about serrapeptase, but I don't see a
problem taking this nutrient with curcumin.
Q. I respect your opinion and wanted to know if you
could comment on this abstract I came across:
Lutein and zeaxanthin intakes and risk of age-related macular degeneration and
cataracts: an evaluation using the Food and Drug Administration's evidence-based
review system for health claims.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006. From the Division of Nutrition
Programs and Labeling, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD
The labeling of health claims that meet the significant scientific agreement
standard and of qualified health claims on conventional foods and dietary
supplements requires premarket approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA conducts an evidence-based review to ascertain whether sufficient
evidence exists to support a significant scientific agreement standard or a
qualified health claim. The FDA recently reviewed intervention and observational
studies that evaluated the role of lutein and zeaxanthin in reducing the risk of
age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. On the basis of this
evidence-based review, the FDA concluded that no credible evidence exists for a
health claim about the intake of zeaxanthin or lutein (or both) and the risk of
age-related macular degeneration or cataracts.
A. I think there is some evidence that zeaxanthin and lutein can
help with vision and perhaps help reduce eye disease in old age, however there
is no absolute proof yet and the dosages of these nutrients for optimal vision
enhancement is not known. I disagree with their opinion that there is "no
credible evidence." Actually, all one has to do is to take a lutein or
zeaxanthin supplement, and notice that color perception is improved after a few
days. Although there is no absolute proof, I lean on the side of taking small
amounts of these supplements, particularly by those who have a diet that lacks adequate
intake of fruits and vegetables.