Is lutein useful for macular degeneration

When it comes to lutein, everyone has heard of it more or less. In recent years, both the old and the young are keen to take lutein to protect their eyesight. Many older people should have heard that taking now lutein & zeaxanthin can treat macular degeneration. So, got macular degeneration, eat lutein after all useful?

What is lutein?

Now lutein and zeaxanthin is a carotenoid, exists in human serum and multiple tissues and organs, such as retina, liver, spleen, kidney and skin, etc., the highest concentration in retinal tissue, is 500 to 1000 times the concentration of serum and other tissues, mainly distributed in the macular area of the retina, constituting macular pigment. The macula, which is slightly yellow because it is rich in lutein, is the area with the most acute visual function.

What are the effects of lutein on the eyes? best lutein zeaxanthin and meso zeaxanthin supplements As an important defense system of the eyes against harmful rays, lutein can not only shield light damage, but also have antioxidant effects to prevent damage caused by oxidation.

Got macular degeneration, eat lutein useful?

• Useful for preventing macular degeneration. As a strong antioxidant, lutein forms an effective blue light filter inside the retina of the human eye, minimizing the oxidative damage caused by blue light, so appropriate supplementation can improve the level of lutein in human plasma, improve the macular pigment density, and effectively prevent macular degeneration.

• Useful for early and mid-stage macular degeneration. There is no significant impairment of visual function in patients with early and middle stage macular degeneration, and the goal of treatment is to prevent progression to the progressive stage and prevent vision loss. We can prevent macular degeneration from becoming more severe by supplementing with lutein.

• Advanced macular degeneration requires standardized treatment. Macular degeneration develops to the advanced stage, the macular area will produce new blood vessels, because these new blood vessels are very fragile, prone to bleeding and fluid leakage, will destroy the structure and function of the macular area, resulting in rapid vision decline, and even blindness. At this time, simply supplementing lutein cannot eliminate new blood vessels, and we need to see a doctor in time for early treatment to avoid visual damage. At present, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs are the first line of treatment for neovascular macular degeneration.

How to supplement lutein complex daily

Although the macular area of the retina in our eyes is rich in lutein, the body cannot synthesize lutein on its own and needs to get it from food or lutein supplements. There are two ways to supplement lutein 20 mg with zeaxanthin daily:

• Food: Food sources of lutein are plant foods. Leek, amaranth, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables are the main sources of dietary lutein, orange, papaya and other yellow-orange fruits also contain a certain amount of lutein. Natural lutein is mainly found in eggs and milk.

Lutein supplements: In addition to food, we can also choose lutein supplements to increase the content of lutein in the body.

In general, vita lutein complex , as best lutein supplement for eyes an important substance in the macular area of our eyes, can prevent and improve early and middle stage macular degeneration, but for advanced macular degeneration, we need to follow the doctor’s advice and standardized treatment to avoid vision damage.

reference

1. Chinese Nutrition Society. Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents (2023 Ed.). Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House,2023,8.

2. Jiang F. Beware of age-related macular degeneration [J]. Wish you Good Health,2020,(12):22-23.

3. Xia Liying, Liu Weijia, Kou Qiuai et al. Clinical study of lutein in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration [J]. World of Chinese Medicine,2013,8(05):517-519. (in Chinese)

4. Chinese Clinical Guidelines for age-related macular degeneration (2023). Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019,59(05):13-32.

5. Li LH, et al. Lutein Supplementation for Eye Diseases. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 9; 12 (6) : 1721.

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