Abstract
Purpose: To compare the change in serum carotenoids, macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and visual function with the intake of two commercially available nutritional supplements. Methods: Participants were given a 24-week supply of a lipid-based micronized liquid medical food, Lumega-Z™ (LM), containing 28 mg of the macular carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ), or given PreserVision™ AREDS 2 Formula (gel-caps; PV) containing 12 mg of the macular carotenoids L and Z, but no reported MZ. Serum levels of L, Z and MZ were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks. Macular pigment optical densities (MPOD) and visual function were assessed at baseline and after 24 weeks. Results: Average blood serum concentrations of L, Z and MZ in the two groups at baseline were similar. The increases in L, Z and MZ were 0.434, 0.063 and 0.086 µmol/L vs. 0.100, 0.043 and 0.001 µmol/L, respectively, in the LM vs. PV group. From baseline to week 24, average MPOD in the LM-group increased by 0.064 from 0.418 to 0.482, whereas in the PV-group, it was essentially unchanged (0.461 to 0.459;). Although log-contrast sensitivity was improved in all groups under three conditions (photopic, mesopic and mesopic with glare), the change in log-contrast sensitivity was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Despite only a 2.3-fold higher carotenoid concentration than PV, LM supplementation provides approximately 3–4-fold higher absorption, which leads to a significant elevation of MPOD levels.
Highlights
The macular pigment is composed of three lipid-soluble carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin [1,2]
With the exception of meso-zeaxanthin, the two carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin can only be acquired through dietary intake and cannot be synthesized de novo within the eye [2,5,6]; sources include many vegetables, spinach and corn, and egg yolks. [2,7]
The present study was designed to conduct a comparison of Lumega-Z (LM) and PreserVision (PV)
Summary
The macular pigment is composed of three lipid-soluble carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin [1,2]. These are responsible for the fovea’s yellow pigmentation and are densely concentrated within the axons of photoreceptors and inner plexiform layers at the center of the macula [2,3,4]. Meso-zeaxanthin is a biochemical isomer of lutein and zeaxanthin, is present across the macula, and is synthesized from lutein in the eye or acquired through supplementation [2,5,8]. There is a significant lag in increase in retinal carotenoids once the serum carotenoids have plateaued [9]
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