Introduction of Lutein
Lutein is one of the natural carotenoids that have been discovered so far. It belongs to photosynthetic pigments and coexists with Zeaxanthin in nature.
Generally found in green leafy vegetables, it is the main component of plant pigments such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, etc., e.g. spinach, green broccoli… and other dark green vegetables have relatively rich content.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are the main components of pigment spots and macular pigments on the omentum in humans.
They can absorb harmful ultraviolet rays and blue light in sunlight that can cause vision damage, protect the health of the retina, and are powerful anti- Oxides that can inhibit the formation of free radicals, so it can prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.
The human body cannot synthesize carotenoids by itself, so whether it is Lutein or zeaxanthin, it needs to reach the required intake of the human body through diet.
Human body effects of Lutein
Sufficient intake of Lutein has many benefits. Here is a summary of the effects of Lutein.
The main effects of Lutein are listed below for your reference. You can also better understand the effects and benefits of supplementing Lutein on your body.
- Delay eye aging and maintain eye health
- Reduce the risk of cataracts
- Reduce the incidence of macular degeneration
- Reduce the incidence of glaucoma
- Relieve eye fatigue
- Reduce the damage to eyes caused by harmful light such as ultraviolet light and blue light
- Helps prevent cardiovascular disease (e.g. coronary heart disease, stroke)
- Improve eyes dark adaptability
- Help strengthen skin and mucous membrane tissue
- Eliminate free radicals, can reduce the incidence of cancer and tumors
- The lens that protects the eyes
- Can prevent the sequelae of high myopia and provide the nutrients needed by the eyes
- Can improve brain health and cognitive function
- Can enhance the visual recognition function of the eyes
Lutein deficiency diseases and symptoms
In addition to mentioning the benefits of sufficient Lutein in the human body, I also compiled the diseases that may be caused by a lack of Lutein.
After medical comparison, it is found that if the human body lacks Lutein for a long time, it may be easier to cause the following symptoms.
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Increasing incidence of cataracts
- Feel uncomfortable with dry eyes (e.g. dry eyes)
- Myopia, poor optic nerve function
- The overall skin is dry
- Increase the incidence of cardiovascular disease
- Cancer and Tumor
What are the side effects of lutein?
Although Lutein has many benefits to the human body, in addition to paying attention to how to eat it, it is also very important to control the amount of intake.
Excessive amounts are not good.
Lutein can’t be absorbed by the human body if you take too much. Of course, it will not bring benefits.
It may also cause yellowing of the skin due to a large amount of intake.
Generally, if such symptoms occur, the skin will gradually return to normal after stopping the consumption.
Therefore, it is also very important to understand the intake of Lutein and how to eat it!
These foods are rich in Lutein
It is highly recommended to supplement Lutein through natural foods. The following summarizes the natural foods with high Lutein content and recommends supplementing
Lutein to everyone, so that everyone can also obtain nutrients that are good for the body through diet.
It is recommended to supplement the animal ingredients of Lutein:
The yolk part of an egg
It is recommended to supplement Lutein’s plant-based ingredients:
Spinach, garland chrysanthemum, green broccoli, mustard greens, pumpkin, corn, etc., choosing dark green vegetables is the right direction
Notes for Lutein
How to eat when supplementing Lutein is also very important. There are more precautions in the way of eating.
Or the effects and benefits of the combination of different ingredients have been sorted out for everyone.
- Lutein is recommended to be consumed 30 minutes after a meal during the day, because its nutrient type is still fat-soluble vitamins (e.g. vitamins B and C are water-soluble). As the body’s metabolism slows down at night, it is better to eat during the day.
- If you are taking oral contraceptives, it is recommended to consult a professional physician before supplementing to avoid affecting the effectiveness of contraceptives
- Lutein is usually combined with a compound. It is not recommended to choose a combination containing ß-carotene. According to experimental data, vitamin E and carotenoids will compete with each other for absorption. At a certain dose, it will interfere with the body’s absorption of Lutein, and ß-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in heavy smokers (at least 1 pack of cigarettes per day)
- Regular supplementation of Lutein daily, a long-term stable increase of Lutein concentration can achieve effective eye protection effect
Types of Lutein
Lutein’s health food products are mainly divided into two types:
Free form Lutein:
It is a new dosage form modified according to Ester form,
Because the fatty acid has been removed by hydrolysis technology, it does not need to go through the process of human digestion, and it is better absorbed by the body.
The average absorption rate is 23% higher than that of Ester form, and the bioavailability is five times that of Ester form.
Ester form Lutein:
Because it contains fat and has a large molecular weight, it can only be absorbed and utilized after digestion enzyme action.
Lutein recommended intake
In addition to the precautions on how to eat, another important point is how to eat enough to not exceed the amount.
- Recommended daily intake for children 6-12 years old: 3.3-6.6 mg/day
- Recommended daily intake for adults: 6-10 mg/day
- Adult daily intake limit: 30 mg/day
Need to supplement the Lutein group
Most people think that only people who use 3C products or the elders need to supplement Lutein. This concept needs to be revised.
The part that Lutein can help, there are many related studies that show that
Therefore, it is recommended: general office workers, 3C head-down people or the elderly, pregnant moms,
Even children (it is recommended to start at least 1-year-old) are recommended to supplement it!
Because my body cannot make and synthesize it by itself, although we can consume it from natural fruits and vegetables, it is actually good for the body to consume Lutein nutritional supplements in a timely manner.
To organize and recommend a group of people suitable for Lutein supplements:
- Heavy users of computers and 3C products
- Students, long-time eye users
- Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers
- Presbyopia
- Patients with macular degeneration
- Cataract patients
- Patients with cardiovascular disease
- Cancer constitution
How to choose high-quality Lutein
There are many Lutein-related health food brands on the market. Compare each with its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of eating methods and ingredients.
After we have compiled the differences and commonalities between the most frequently recommended brands for everyone, we sorted out the following selection methods:
Selection method 1: Naturally extracted Lutein is better
Lutein currently on the market mainly comes from these three raw material brands:
- Natural extract source, the highest price
- Natural source, second in price
- Artificial synthesis, the cheapest price
Compared with the most expensive Lutein and the cheapest chemically synthesized Lutein Ester, the raw material cost can be nearly 10 times the difference!
Lutein Ester Lutein is divided into natural and synthetic. Natural is Xangold Lutein. Synthetic is usually not named, and Lutein Ester Lutein is written directly on the product.
Selection method 2: Free form Lutein has a good absorption rate
Free form Lutein can be directly absorbed in the human body without digestion, with a good absorption rate and good effect.
Ester form Lutein cannot be absorbed directly. It needs lipolytic enzymes to break down macromolecules into small molecules by digestion before being absorbed by the human body.
However, the digestive ability varies from person to person, and it is usually used after meals.
It needs to be digested together with other fats in the food for better absorption.
Therefore, it is not recommended to consume Ester form Lutein for people with poor digestion, e.g. middle-aged and elderly people, and people with poor digestion.
Selection method 3: The intake of 10 mg is better
When choosing each brand of Lutein, it can be observed that the actual content of many brands of Lutein is less than 10 mg.
Most Lutein on the market comes from Calendula extract, and the raw materials of Calendula extract are divided into two common specifications with Lutein content of 5% and 10%.
If you see the label: Calendula extract content 30 mg.
This does not mean it contains 30 mg of Lutein! Rather, 5% or 10% of the 30 mg is the true Lutein content.
So don’t forget to check whether the brand manufacturer has presented the “Lutein Dose Test Certificate” to avoid buying exaggerated and false products!
Eating health supplements is the same as rubbing skincare products. Insufficient intake will not give full play to the effects.
It is more at ease to choose brand manufacturers with relevant certifications to eat them yourself.
Selection method 4: Whether to add beneficial compound collocation (e.g. zeaxanthin, anthocyanin, astaxanthin (phycoerythrin))
Many people are curious about how Lutein should be eaten to have a greater effect. Choosing a helpful combination is the key to correct eating!
Zeaxanthin > Lutein’s best friend, an important combination of Condor Heroes, and the ratio of Lutein 10: Zeaxanthin2 is better.
Anthocyanins > can help enhance the production of the eye’s photosensitive substance “rhodopsin”, thereby enhancing eye function.
In addition, the antioxidant effect of anthocyanins is helpful for slowing down the deterioration of eye function, helping to improve pseudomyopia and relieve eye fatigue.
Astaxanthin (phycoerythrin) > helps to improve the antioxidant power of the macula. In addition, modern people are highly dependent on 3C, and the eye fatigue caused by the product is extra help.
There are currently many studies showing that astaxanthin can relieve eye fatigue.
According to many studies in Europe, America, and Japan, if Lutein is combined with a compound, it will have a better effect and more comprehensive effects.
Therefore, it is recommended that when choosing Lutein products, you can evaluate and consider the compatibility of the compound to maximize your benefit.
Selection method 5: Small package is better
Health foods are frequently switched on and off for use, which is easy to absorb water and become damp.
Large bottles are relatively easy to be damp and deteriorated when they are switched on and off daily.
Selection Method 6: Capsules or powder packets are better than tablets
It is required in the manufacturing process. Generally, tablets need to be made with more chemical compounds.
Therefore, when choosing a brand, it is recommended to choose brands that use capsules or powder packs.
Selection method 7: Choose the patented raw materials with “Original Authorization” for more peace of mind
Because of the high market demand for Lutein, many unscrupulous manufacturers will import Lutein raw materials for processing through parallel imports, but the quality and efficacy of parallel imports are difficult to grasp.
If there is no effect, it is small. If you hurt your body, you will really suffer! ,
In the face of many brands, it is recommended to select patented raw materials with “original authorization” as a good criterion for judging the quality of raw materials.
All patented raw materials taken internationally must pass various inspections, so for consumers, it is also more secure.
Selection method 8: Choose brands that have passed many inspections and certifications
When making a brand selection, of course, the more inspections and certifications the product has obtained, the better, and let a credible unit help you check.
Selection method 9: Vegetarians should pay attention to whether it is vegan and edible Lutein
While paying attention to the intake of different brands, how to eat, and how to eat to achieve better results, as eating habits change, there are more and more vegetarians.
Vegetarians should remember to pay attention to whether the brand they choose It is vegan and edible.
If it is a capsule, please pay attention to whether it is a plant-based capsule~
Where can I buy the best Lutein supplements?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
