Zeaxanthin – What You Need to Know About This Important Nutrient and Your Sight
Author: Roger Franklin
Source: ezinearticles.com
Have you ever wondered where the brick red color of paprika comes from? It comes from zeaxanthin, one of the most common carotenoids found in nature. Carotenoids are biological molecules with strong colors, and the word carotenoid itself comes from carrot.
In humans, zeaxanthin is found in the retina of the eye, specifically within the central part of the retina known as the macula. The peripheral part of the retina contains a different carotenoid known as lutein. Zeaxanthin and lutein together are known as macular pigment (MP).
It is a common observation that as we age, our sight gets weaker. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in people over 50 years of age in the developed world and has been estimated as affecting 1.2 million Americans over 65.
There is scientific evidence (based on epidemiology) suggesting that low concentrations of zeaxantin and lutein in the blood plasma are associated with an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). There is also other evidence (again based on epidemiology) suggesting that increasing the intake of these nutrients lowers the risk of developing eye cataracts.
In work published in 2007, John Paul SanGiovanni and his colleagues at the National Eye Institute Maryland, reported the results of a 7 year study where it was found that higher dietary intake of lutein/zeaxanthin was associated with decreased likelihood of developing age-related macular degeneration.
Overall the results of all these studies show that the macular pigment molecules are extremely important to eye health.
Foods that are rich as dietary sources of these nutrients include kale, turnip greens, collard greens, romain lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas, swiss chard and Brussel sprouts. While getting one’s macular pigment from dietary sources should be encouraged, for more predictable results, one must also acquire the nutrient via nutritional supplements. The main benefits of getting one’s needs via nutritional supplements are that:
One knows the quantity that one is taking and this reduces the risk of incorrect dosage.
Only high quality raw materials are used in the preparations.
The supplement will come as part of a combination with other nutrients ensuring that the intended effect of each component is optimized.
Enteric coating is a technique used to protect supplements from the actions of stomach acids and hence ensure that it is presented at the right point in the digestive pathway.
The composition of the supplement ingredients are prepared to suit individual needs according to sex and age.
Roger Franklin is a researcher and writer at Good Health To Go. Please visit http://www.goodhealthtogo.com for more info and to learn about the product that we take that contains zeaxanthin.
In: Health & Fitness · Tagged with: age related macular, developing age related, macular pigment, related macular degeneration, zeaxanthin