What are macular pigments and how do they support eye health?

Key takeaways:

• The eye is uniquely vulnerable to oxidative stress from constant exposure to light and high metabolic activity.
• Macular pigments consist of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids found in nature that play an important role in photo and antioxidant protection.
• They accumulate in the central part of the retina called the macula where they filter blue light and neutralize free radicals to protect cells in the eye from oxidative stress and support visual function.
• Macular pigments decline with age but supplementation has been shown to help increase macular pigment density.

Related products:

• Vision: Combines foundational ingredients in AREDS2 with Elysium’s PIXEL Complex, which contains all three macular pigments, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zeaxanthin, in a formulation that’s clinically proven to increase macular pigment density, improve contrast sensitivity, and vision in glare.

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Vulnerability to oxidative stress

The retina (a membrane at the back of the eye containing light-sensing cells) is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body, resulting in high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Combined with near-constant exposure to high-energy blue light and a large concentration of fatty acids prone to oxidation and ROS production, the retina is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress [1]. Oxidative stress, when unchecked, can negatively impact essential molecules, cells, and structures in the eye and, ultimately, visual function.

Our eyes have intrinsic antioxidant defense mechanisms in place to avoid ROS accumulation. One of these mechanisms involve macular pigments, lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. These pigments are part of the carotenoid family—molecules found in nature that play a critical role in photo and antioxidant protection. Of the more than 600 carotenoids present in our environment, about 40 make their way into a typical human diet. Approximately 20 of these have been detected in human blood and tissue, and remarkably, only three—meso-zeaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein—are found in the eye, suggesting an exquisite level of biological selectivity and underscoring the specialized role these three carotenoids play in our vision [2].

Macular pigments: antioxidants and optical aid

As their name suggests, these carotenoids accumulate in a unique structure in the center of the retina called the “macula.” The macula contains the highest concentration of photoreceptors—the light-sensing cells—and is responsible for sharp, detailed central vision, which is needed for tasks like reading, driving, and recognizing faces and color vision. The rest of the retina processes our peripheral, or side vision. 

The macula is characterized by a yellow hue due to the high accumulation of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. The term is the shortened form of "macula lutea," Latin for “yellow spot.” These three carotenoids possess biological, optical, and photochemical properties that allow them to protect photoreceptors from oxidative stress and support visual function. They absorb and filter blue light and neutralize ROS to reduce oxidative stress. Blocking blue light also serves an optical role: It reduces chromatic aberration to improve image sharpness and increases contrast sensitivity by reducing “veiling luminance,” which is caused by scattered blue light. Based on their structural properties, the carotenoids are also thought to help reduce glare by absorbing polarized light [2].

As we age, however, levels of these macular pigments decline, by as much as 10% per decade, contributing to deterioration in eye health and visual performance [3]. Macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision decline among individuals 60 and over.

Ways to increase macular pigment density

Lutein and zeaxanthin can be found in green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale), orange/yellow fruit (corn, tangerines), and egg products. It’s also found in marigold petals which are the primary source for lutein and zeaxanthin supplements. Meso-zeaxanthin is rarely found in the human diet. It’s been found in shrimp carapace, fish skin, and turtle fat—and is thought to form from lutein in the body. 

Studies have found that supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin results in a modest, albeit delayed, increase in macular pigment optical density (MPOD, a measure of the amount of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin in the macula) [4,5]. AREDS2, a well-established formulation for long-term macular support, contains lutein and zeaxanthin. However, emerging studies now demonstrate that adding meso-zeaxanthin to lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation results in a greater and more rapid increase in MPOD and improvements in contrast sensitivity and vision in glare and low-light conditions [6].

Chart: Supplementation with all three macular pigments (M+Z+L) resulted in a significant increase in macular pigment density compared to supplementation with Z+L (provided by AREDS2) or placebo. *P < 0.05. Adapted from Loughman et al., 2012.

Vision, Elysium's eye supplement, contains all three macular pigments—meso-zeaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and lutein—in the same, specific formulation that's clinically proven to rapidly and significantly increase macular pigment density and support macular health and visual performance. 

References

1. Ozawa Y. Redox Biol. 2020;37:101779. doi:10.1016/j.redox.2020.101779
2. Whitehead AJ, Mares JA, Danis RP. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006;124(7):1038-1045. doi:10.1001/archopht.124.7.1038
3. Obana A, Gohto Y, Tanito M, et al. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2014;252(8):1221-1228. doi:10.1007/s00417-014-2574-x
4. Loughman J, Akkali MC, Beatty S, et al. Vision Res. 2010;50(13):1249-1256. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2010.04.009
5. Nolan JM, Loughman J, Akkali MC, et al. Vision Res. 2011;51(5):459-469. doi:10.1016/j.visres.2010.12.016
6. Loughman J, Nolan JM, Howard AN, Connolly E, Meagher K, Beatty S. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53(12):7871-7880. Published 2012 Nov 29. doi:10.1167/iovs.12-10690