Certain vitamins and nutrients are needed for the health of specialized structures within the body, such as the eyes. Lutein is a vitamin that is required to make some of the protective pigments in the eyes that shield portions of the eye from damage. Lutein levels are linked with a condition known as macular degeneration.
Identification
Macular degeneration is a condition in which a portion of the retina, known as the macula, becomes damaged. The macula is an area in the center of the retina that is responsible for focused and sharp color vision. When the macula becomes damaged, blind spots and blurred vision can result, making tasks such as driving and reading more difficult.
Carotenoids
Nutrition can play an important role in preventing macular degeneration. The two most important nutrients for eye health are two carotenoid compounds, known as lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds make pigments that may help protect the eye from damage done by ultraviolet light. These pigments may also function as antioxidants that can help prevent damage by free radicals, which are reactive molecules that can destroy proteins, DNA and cells. Consequently not getting enough lutein in your diet can lead to poor eye health.
Research
The effects of the amount of lutein in the diet on a person's risk of developing macular degeneration were evaluated in a 2007 study published in "Archives in Opthamology." The study found that women with a higher dietary intake of lutein were less likely to develop macular degeneration as well as other eye problems.
Food Sources
Lutein is primarily found in green leafy vegetables. The food with the highest lutein concentration is cooked kale. Cooked spinach, collard greens and turnip greens also contain high amounts of lutein. Other foods with significant but lesser amounts of lutein are corn, green peas, romaine lettuce and broccoli.
Supplements
You can also take lutein in supplement form. People who are worried about developing eye problems or who are experiencing macular degeneration can benefit from taking 10 mg of lutein each day as well as 2 mg of zeaxanthin each day, according to the American Optometric Society. It is not known, though, if this is the optimal dose of either compound, and more research needs to be done to determine how effective these supplements are at treating or preventing macular degeneration.
References
- American Optometric Association: Lutein
- American Health Assistance Foundation: Macular Degeneration
- American Macular Degeneration Foundation: Nutrition
- San Giovanni et al. "The Relationship of Dietary Carotenoid and Vitamin A, E, and C Intake With Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study" Archives of Opthamology, 2007.
