Many yellow-toned fruits and vegetables contain astaxanthin, a pigment noted to have antioxidant properties that may offer some protection against certain types of health conditions. Green algae also provides a significant source for this nutrient. In addition to the general health benefits, astaxanthin may help prevent or reduce your risk of certain eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. If you have risk factors for these conditions, ask your doctor if you should increase your intake of astaxanthin.
Cataracts
Antioxidants may help prevent cataracts, an eye condition that stems from the breakdown of proteins that compose the lens that sits behind your iris. This breakdown process, called oxidative stress, results from free radicals, rogue oxygen molecules that can damage healthy cells. This process causes the lens to turn opaque and turn your vision cloudy. The antioxidant component of astaxanthin may help slow this process or have some effect on preventing oxidative stress. Medications and supplements will not reverse cataracts, but doctors can treat cataracts with surgery and restore vision changes from the cloudy lens.
Macular Degeneration
Your macula sits in the center of the tissue that lines the back of your eye. Oxidative stress can damage the rods and cones, the cells that make up the macular tissue, and damage to these light receptor cells can cause a permanent loss of central vision. In a National Eye Institute study released in 2001, researchers found that certain antioxidants may help reduce the risk of vision loss from macular degeneration. The study did not evaluate astaxanthin, but the antioxidant nature of astaxanthin may have some benefits for the condition.
Other Antioxidants
The nutrient studies in the National Eye Institute's Age-related Eye Disease Study include vitamin E, C and A, as well as zinc. The study found that high doses of these nutrients could reduce the risk of advanced macular degeneration damage by 25 percent. These antioxidant nutrients may also help prevent cataract formation.
Consideration
Consult your doctor before you take supplements containing astaxanthin or any other nutrients. These supplements, particularly if taken in high doses, could result in side effects or interfere with medications you take to treat other health conditions. Your doctor can help you formulate a diet or supplement regimen that will offer you the best protection against eye diseases while also considering your overall health.
References
- National Eye Institute; Facts About Age-Related Macular Degeneration; September 2009
- All About Vision; Can a Healthy Diet Prevent Cataracts?; Shereen Jegtvig and Gary Heiting, OD; August 2010
- "Journal of Natural Products"; Astaxanthin, a Carotenoid With Potential in Human Health and Nutrition; Ghazi Hussein et al.; April 2006
- "Ophthalmology"; Carotenoids and Antioxidants in Age-Related Maculopathy Italian Study: Multifocal Electroretinogram Modifications After 1 Year; Vincenzo Parisi et al.; February 2008
- American Optometric Association: Diet & Nutrition
