LUTEIN
Lutein is one of over 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids. Found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, lutein is employed by organisms as an antioxidant and for blue light absorption. Lutein is also found in egg yolks, animal fats and the corpus luteum. Lutein is a lipophilic (fat soluble) molecule and is generally insoluble in water.
Lutein in diet and Human Vision: Lutein was found to be concentrated in the macula, a small area of the retina responsible for central vision. The hypothesis for the natural concentration is that lutein helps protect from oxidative stress and high-energy light. Various research studies have shown that a direct relationship exists between lutein intake and pigmentation in the eye. Several studies also show that an increase in macula pigmentation decreases the risk for eye diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The only randomized clinical trial to demonstrate a benefit for lutein in Macular Degeneration was a small study, in which the authors concluded that visual function is improved with lutein alone or lutein together with other nutrients and also that more study was needed. Several researchers including a group led by John Paul SanGiovanni of the National Eye Institute, Maryland found that high intakes of Lutein and zeaxanthin (nutrients in eggs, spinach and other green vegetables) are associated with a lower risk of blindness (macular degeneration), affecting 1.2 million Americans, mostly after age 65.
Whether this relation is causal and whether lutein and zeaxanthin actually reduce the risk of AMD is being studied.
Foods considered good sources of the nutrients also include the following: kale, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, kiwifruit, corn, garden peas and Brussels sprouts. (Sources: National Institutes of Health/ Archives of Ophthalmology/ Wikipedia).
