"Slowing Down" That Fast Ball with Zeaxanthin

Hitting a 95 MPH fastball is said to be the hardest thing to do in sports, but a zeaxanthin can make it seem slower, according to a study published in Plos One. The study, conducted at the University of Georgia (UGA) Vision Sciences laboratory, measured the impact of high levels of dietary zeaxanthin (20mg and above) on the speed at which a person’s eyes and brain communicate to identify, process and respond to stimuli. The study found that after four months of taking the supplement, which is found in EyePromise, participants reportedly experienced statistically significant improvements in reaction time. It is said to be the first time a study has proven the ability to improve visual processing speed through dietary zeaxanthin supplementation. Read more.

Older Adults Ignoring Nutrients in Daily Diet that Support Eye Health, Says Study

A recent review published as an Expert Opinion in the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Aging outlines the link between specific nutrients and eye health. But the review, funded by a grant from Bausch + Lomb, also found that many Americans over age 50 don’t consume enough of these nutrients in their daily diet to support their eye health. That’s according to a B+L spokesperson.

Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at Tufts University, and Helen Rasmussen, Ph.D., R.D., an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University, and authors of this review of published literature, focused on the antioxidants vitamins C and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and the omega-3 fatty acids eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as important nutrients that can potentially help protect eye health as people age.

“Many adults don’t think about their eye health or sight until it’s too late to reverse the damage their eyes may have sustained,” said Dr. Johnson.  “Our review shows that incorporating proper nutrition into the diet can help adults protect their eye health. It’s a small step that can go a long way.”

The review is said to have highlighted data from the most recent NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) which indicates that most Americans fall below the optimal intake of these specific nutrients. Further, according to a recent survey conducted by the Ocular Nutrition Society, 78 percent of adults, ages 45-65, rank vision as the most important of their five senses, yet less than half are aware of important nutrients that may play a key role in eye health. Specifically, survey respondents were unaware of the specific nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids (almost 60 percent), lutein (66 percent) and zeaxanthin (nearly 90 percent). Diet is the best way to get these specific nutrients, but for adults who don’t get the nutrients needed through diet alone, nutritional supplementation is warranted.

Read more.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin Slow Progression of AMD, Confirms New NEI Study

“National Eye Institute Deputy Clinical Director Emily Chew, M.D., Ph.D., presented the results from the second Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS2) at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) annual meeting in May. Her presentation expanded upon the results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),” notes a news post from the AOA (American Optometric Assn.). “The primary analysis of the study tested whether adding FloraGLO Lutein and Optisharp Zeaxanthin, DHA + EPA, or a combination of the two to the AREDS formulation reduced the risk of progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by an additional 25 percent as compared to study subjects taking the original AREDS supplement, which was the study control arm. The data did not demonstrate a significant reduction in progression to advanced AMD in any of the three treatment arms as compared to the control group.” Read more.

Omega-3’s Do Not Help with AMD

“Adding omega-3 fatty acids did not improve a combination of nutritional supplements commonly recommended for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans, according to a new study,” reports Science Daily. “The plant-derived antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin also had no overall effect on AMD when added to the combination; however, they were safer than the related antioxidant beta-carotene.” The study appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Read more. You can also see more at the National Eye Institute.

Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Omega-3’s Do Help

“A randomized trial by Christin Arnold, Dipl-Troph, of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany, and colleagues found that a supplement containing a fixed combination of lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) during 12 months significantly improved plasma antioxidant capacity, circulating macular xanthophyll levels and optical density of the macular pigment,” says Medical News Today. Read more.

ZeaVision Adds a Zeaxanthin and Lutein Formulated Supplement

ZeaVision, LLC has introduced EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein Macular Pigment Formula. It includes 10 mg of dietary zeaxanthin (reportedly the highest amount available in any eye vitamin brand) and 10 mg of Lutein, Dr. Stuart Richer's recent Zeaxanthin and Visual Function (ZVF) Trial demonstrated several visual function improvements in early AMD patients. Patients who consumed eight milligrams of dietary zeaxanthin for 12 months experienced improved driving skills and could read 8.5 more letters on an eye chart. Additionally blind spots were eliminated in their visual field, and their ability to discern fine detail improved.  Read more.