Lutein & Carotenoids for the Eyes, Vision and to Fight Age-Related Macular Degeneration By Valerie Rosenbaum At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Taking the carotenoid lutein for the eyes is a good idea, but you should also try to include more vegetables in your diet. If you aren’t a big vegetable eater, then you need more than lutein for eyes. Here’s what the latest studies have shown.

Researchers in Japan recently measure blood serum levels of a variety of different antioxidants in order to determine which ones were most important for reducing the risk of macular degeneration. They compared the difference in blood levels of people who did not have the disease to those that did. When a doctor recommends lutein for the eyes, it is generally to reduce the risk of macular degeneration or the blindness that can result from it.

There are several types of macular degeneration. The disease can occur in young people. The research found that antioxidant levels were not related to the development of macular degeneration early on in life. That type of the disease is most likely due to genetics. But, they did find that low antioxidant levels were associated with age-related macular degeneration or AMD.

The researchers were aware of the common recommendations of lutein for eyes that suffer from AMD. But, they looked at other antioxidants, as well, including tocopherol (vitamin E), retinol (vitamin A), beta-cryptoxanthin, alpha and beta carotene, lycopene and zeaxanthin.

What they found was that as a single antioxidant, taking lutein for eyes may not be beneficial, because low blood levels of that single nutrient were not associated with AMD. On the other hand, low blood levels of total carotenoids were found in people that had AMD. The researchers suggested that increased total carotenoid intake could protect against AMD.

That would include taking lutein for the eyes, because it is a member of the carotenoid family, as are alpha and beta-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin. Generally, they will be listed on a supplement label as total mixed natural carotenoids, but the amount of lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein should be listed separately, as well. A good amount of mixed carotenoids to strive for is 5000IU per day.

Consumers need to be made aware that most of the supplements on the market do not contain natural ingredients. The majority of beta-carotene on the market is synthetic. In studies concerning nutrients like lutein for eyes, researchers use a high quality natural nutrient. In some cases, they use a specific food. For example, in one of the first studies that concerned taking lutein for the eyes, the doctor had her patients eating a full serving of spinach, every day. Spinach provides a variety of mixed carotenoids.

If your doctor recommends lutein for eyes, go ahead and take it. It certainly won’t hurt you. But, if you want to do the best thing that you can for your overall health, take a supplement that contains a wide range of nutrients, including 5000IU of mixed carotenoids.

Along with healthy diet and exercise, a good multi-nutritional supplement may help you live a longer healthier life. So, while taking lutein for the eyes is a good idea, taking an excellent all natural multi-nutritional supplement is a great one.

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