April 2008
Breaking News! Lutein & Your Macula
The amount of carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, in
the macula are thought to affect the development of
age-related maculopathy (ARM). A recent Japanese study
researched the levels of carotenoids in normal
Japanese participants versus those with ARM.*
 
The study found that normal levels of lutein and
zeaxanthin in the macula were about 1471 “units”.
Those with early AMD had a mean of only 620 units and
those with late AMD had a mean of only 427 units of
macular carotenoids. Normal levels also declined with
age, even with healthy individuals. The ARM patients showed lower macular carotenoid levels than healthy people.
 
Low macular carotenoid levels may be one of the risk
factors of progression in ARM.
 
Viteyes® Essentials offers a dietary supplement high
in lutein (15 mg) and zeaxanthin (4 mg). Click here
for more information.

* Akira Obana, MD, PhD, Tadahisa Hiramitsu, MD, PhD, Yuko Gohto, MD, PhD, Akihiro Ohira, MD, PhD, Satoshi Mizuno, PhD, Toru Hirano, BSc, Paul S. Berstein, MD, PhD, Hisako Fujii, BSc, Ken Iseki, PhD, Masaki Tanito, MD, Yoshihiro Hotta, MD, PhD. “Macular Carotenoid Levels of Normal Subjects and Age-Related Maculopathy Patients in a Japanese Population.” Ophthalmology. Volume 115; 1; 147-157. January 2008.

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