Visual Function Marigold Flower Extract Fine Powder 10% Lutein

Lutein is naturally found in a number of fruits and vegetables, especially those with deep green, orange, and yellow coloring. Lutein is a type of xanthophyll often used in treatment or prevention of eye diseases. Lutein supplements contain a natural substance classified as a carotenoid—a group of plant pigments with antioxidant effects. Lutein supplements provide a more concentrated supply of this antioxidant.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two types of carotenoids, yellow to red pigments found widely in vegetables and other plants. Though lutein is considered a yellow pigment, it appears orange-red in high concentrations.

In nature, lutein (LOO-teen) and zeaxanthin (zee-ah-ZAN-thin) appear to absorb excess light energy to prevent damage to plants from too much sunlight, especially from high-energy light rays called blue light.

In addition to being found in many green leafy plants and colorful fruits and vegetables, lutein and zeaxanthin are found in high concentrations in the macula of the human eye, giving the macula its yellowish color. In fact, the macula also is called the "macula lutea" (from the Latin macula, meaning "spot," and lutea, meaning "yellow").

Recent research has discovered a third carotenoid in the macula. Called meso-zeaxanthin, this pigment is not found in food sources and appears to be created in the retina from ingested lutein.

Lutein and zeaxanthin appear to have important antioxidant functions in the body. Along with other natural antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E, these important pigments guard the body from damaging effects of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can destroy cells and play a role in many diseases.

In addition to important eye and vision benefits, lutein may help protect against atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits in arteries), the disease that leads to most heart attacks.

1. Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Lutein supplements are typically used in alternative medicine for eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Known to build up in the retina and lens of the eye, lutein is thought to protect the eye from injury induced by free radicals, chemical byproducts shown to damage cells and contribute to the development of certain diseases.

2. Visual Function

In a 2009 study of 37 healthy adults, researchers found that subjects who took lutein supplements for 12 weeks experienced improvements in visual function. The study's findings also suggest that lutein supplements may help treat vision problems brought on by long-term exposure to light from computer screens.

3. Eye Health Benefits

A 2018 review of research concluded that there are many studies supporting lutein beneficial effects on eye health. The researchers suggested that not only should a diet rich in fruits and vegetables containing lutein be encouraged, they also suggested that supplementation could be beneficial, particularly in populations at high risk of certain conditions such as the elderly.