The Power of Lutein: From Eye Health to Cognitive Vitality

Blurred vision, eye fatigue, dry or irritable eyes—it seems to only get worse over time. And now, your eyes face another assault: Blue light that emits from all your digital devices, from smartphones to flat TVs — powerful enough to penetrate your retina.

Two out of three people suffer from blurred vision, eye fatigue, and dry, irritable eyes. Researchers expect the number of people who suffer from Age-related Macular Degeneration and cataracts will double by the year 2050.

The macular pigment in your eyes acts as its internal pair of sunglasses to protect your vision from damaging blue light. Yet nearly 78% of Americans have too little macular pigment to protect against harmful blue light. The typical American diet doesn’t supply the amount of eye-supporting nutrients needed to keep this vital shield dense and robust.

Lutein Is The Most Familiar Essential Eye Vitamin

This nutrient, abundant in many healthy foods, including dark green leafy vegetables and eggs, is a powerful antioxidant well known for reducing the risk of eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic neuropathy.

But keeping your eyes healthy is far from the only good reason to supply ample amounts of lutein to your entire body.

Lutein slows cognitive decline. Lutein is a nutrient that accumulates in the brain, and studies have demonstrated that maintaining optimal levels of lutein keeps you cognitively young.

In one study, researchers measured brain activity while performing tasks requiring attention and concentration. They found that older people with higher levels of lutein had brain activity younger than their peers who carried less lutein.

Lutein Switches Off Stress

As lutein builds up in the brain, its anti-inflammatory properties control the stress hormone cortisol.

In one study, healthy adults were given a daily lutein supplement of either 13 or 27mg. After six months, their cortisol levels were reduced, and they experienced improved psychological stress and overall emotional and physical health.

Lutein Guards Heart Health 

A diet rich in lutein is associated with better heart health.

One study found that patients with higher lutein levels showed a reduction in interleukin-6 (IL-6). This pro-inflammatory protein strongly predicts heart attack and stroke, especially in older adults.

Healthy Aging

Researchers are now certain nutritional deficiencies impact healthy aging and the illnesses that can be associated. The carotenoid family, of which lutein is a member, is among those most critical to healthy aging and longevity.

Getting More Lutein In Your Diet

Now that you know how much lutein can do for your health, you’ll want to ensure you get more of it, right?

Lutein is a nutrient that the body can’t make on its own, so you have to get it from the foods you eat or through supplements.

The good news is that it’s not hard to find this powerful nutrient in foods you’re hopefully already eating to maintain your health:

Dark green and leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, and brussels sprouts, to name just a few)

• Parsley
• Eggs
• Red grapes
• Winter squash
• Yellow sweet corn
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes
• Asparagus
• Carrots

If you don’t get enough lutein out of your diet, consider supplementing it with Ocular Support. Ocular Support is a dietary supplement to maintain and support proper visual function.

Ocular Support contains 16 nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and herbs that have been found to support optimal eye health and functions, while reducing risk of macular degeneration.

Eye Structure and Function Support:

• Quercetin and Rutin are antioxidants that help support capillary integrity and work with Vitamin C to decrease bruising of the tiny capillaries in the eye. Rutin has also been associated with maintaining healthy ocular pressure within the eye. Quercetin helps support histamine levels within normal ranges to help maintain eye health.
• Bilberry helps with the formation and maintenance of connective tissues within the eye, has beneficial effects on microcirculation, assists in strengthening capillaries in the eye, and protects the macula.
• Eyebright is an herb that improves microcirculation to the retina and helps maintain eye moisture and pressure.
• L-Taurine is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the retina. If Taurine is depleted, rapid photoreceptor degeneration can result.
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin are antioxidants that support ocular health by inhibiting free radical reactions in the eye and keeping macular pigment’s thickness. Lutein is found in high concentrations in the retina and macula of the eye. Lutein also helps protect the eye’s lens from the damaging effects of UV sunlight.
• Vitamin B12 helps nerve function by supporting the myelin sheath, which insulates nerves such as the optic nerve.

Antioxidant Support:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid is a fat and water-soluble antioxidant that can extend the biochemical life of other antioxidants such as Vitamins C, E, and L-Glutathione.
• Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant converted in the body to Vitamin A, essential to the protection and function of the eye’s retina.
• Lycopene is a phytonutrient with potent antioxidant powers to help maintain optimal eye health.
• L-glutathione is the critical antioxidant in the lens. Its primary function is to protect the lens from ultraviolet radiation, which, over time, can cause clouding. The production of Glutathione in the lens declines with age.
• Vitamins C & E are antioxidants that support circulation and the eye’s structures. Much of the research in the past several years has been on Liposomal Vitamin C significantly lowering the risk of Glaucoma.
• Selenium, Zinc, and riboflavin are nutrients necessary for supporting antioxidants such as Glutathione and superoxide dismutase.

To learn more about eye health, call Doctor’s Nutrition today at 1-800-824-0194.