Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid found in the retina of the human eye. Zeaxanthin serves an important purpose by filtering near-to-UV sunlight, which protects your eyes from the potential damage from these harmful rays. Zeaxanthin isn’t created by the body, and can only enter the body by eating certain foods such as leafy greens. For those who require additional zeaxanthin, it is also available in supplement form.
Zeaxanthin
According to the website of VisiVite, which claims to be one of only two companies worldwide to manufacture zeaxanthin supplements, the average American consumes somewhere between 0.2 and 2 mg of zeaxanthin each day through his diet. Foods that contain high levels of zeaxanthin include corn, spinach, eggs, turnip greens, broccoli, romaine lettuce, kale and goji berries. People who have been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, however, may need a far higher daily dose — typically 10 mg — in which case supplements are recommended.
Cataracts
One important benefit of zeaxanthin is its ability to possibly prevent and slow the development of cataracts, opacities that form in your eyeballs as you age. In a study appearing in the October 1999 issue of the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," researchers found that people who ate more foods rich in zeaxanthin — particularly broccoli, spinach and kale — were less likely to develop cataracts when they got older.
Macular Degeneration
A report published in the August 2002 issue of the Scandinadivan medical journal “Acta Opthalmological Scandinavica” looked at the effectiveness of zeaxanthin in preventing macular degeneration, an age-related condition that causes blurred vision and possible blindness. The study found that patients with a low intake of zeaxanthin were twice as likely to suffer macular degeneration than those who ate a diet high in zeaxanthin. Researchers concluded that further studies were warranted.
Cancer
A study published in the August 2010 issue of "Experimental Dermatology" presents evidence that zeaxanthin may actually inhibit the growth of certain types of skin cancer. The study presented what researchers called "the first evidence" that zeaxanthin could effecitvely inhibit the migration of stromal fibroblasts "induced by PDGF-BB and melanoma cells." These results, noted the article, seem to support the possibility that zeaxanthin could be used as an antitumor agent in treating cancer.
References
- VisiVite: Zeaxanthin Information -- Benefits to Retinal Health
- "Experimental Dermatology"; Zeaxanthin Inhibits PDGF-BB-induced Migration in Human Dermal Fibroblasts; N. L. Wu; August 2010
- Macular Degeneration Support; Study Demonstrates Essential Role of Zeaxanthin in Eye Health; June 2003
- “Acta Opthalmologica Scandinavica”; Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Its Relationship to Antioxidant Intake; E. L. Snellen et al.; August 2002
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; A Prospective Study of Carotenoid Intake and Risk of Cataract Extraction in U.S. Men; L. Brown et al.; October 1999
