Xanthophylls Explained: What They Are, How They Protect Your Eyes, and Where to Find Them

Written By fiona chan

Information is supported by published research and clinical studies. For those interested in further information, additional reading can be found in the sources listed at the end. The information provided is intended to support a balanced lifestyle and promote general wellness. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. While it is designed to complement a holistic approach to health, there are no guarantees of specific outcomes. 

Beyond millennials : kale may be the superfood for your eyes.

What are xantophylls ?

  •  Xantophylls are the pigments which make up the yellow and orange colour of fruits and leaves, and belong to the carotenoids family.

  • The two types of xantophylls which have been identified to be important to vision are lutein and zeaxanthin. 

  • Animals cannot synthesize them independently, and so these substances need to be supplied with dietary intake.

  • Even though 600 types of carotenoids occur in nature, only 10% of which are a part of the normal human diet.

Why is it important for vision?

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are found in the human retina and lens, at percentages that are many times higher than in any other tissue[Maoka et al] . In 1945 , George Wald noted that Lutein and Zeaxanthin were responsible for the yellow color of the macular pigment. Zeaxanthin seems to be the dominant carotenoid in the central retina while lutein is found more in the periphery.

These pigments are essential in improving our ability to perceive contrast. Contrast sensitivity helps us distinguish subtle differences in brightness and affects our ability to safely navigate our environment to avoid trips and falls. It also has impacts on our ability to drive, especially in low-light or bad weather conditions. Contrast sensitivity has been reported to be highly associated with ‘quality of life’ . [Vingopoulos et al.] 

In addition, Lutein and Zeaxanthin protect the eye from age-related changes by absorbing blue visible light (400-500nm). This is important as blue light, which is short in wavelength, is very reactive and could increase oxidative degeneration in the most sensitive layers of the retina. Lutein and zeaxanthin are suggested to ‘filter’ out blue light to reduce the bad effects of ‘glare’ and scattering of light, by doing this, it improves contrast sensitivity. 

waves of blue light

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are suggested to ‘filter’ out blue light to reduce the bad effects of ‘glare’ and scattering of light.

Where can Lutein and Zeaxanthin be found?

Leafy green vegetables (examples : spinach and kale contain high levels of Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Some other foods containing these highly nutritious and essential xantophylls/carotenoids are; parsley, zucchini, peppers, egg yolk and egg noodles, as well as fruits such as, nectarines, blackberries, avocados, raspberries, gooseberries, kiwi fruits, and blackcurrants.

Food product Lutein/Zeaxanthin mg/100g

Kale 39.55

Spinach 11.93

Lettuce 2.63

Broccoli 2.44

Brussel sprouts 1.59

Eggs, kale, kiwi, nectarine and berries

Not just vegetables, egg yolk and berries are full of Xantophylls.



What common eye disorders can they combat?

Macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries and occurs when the central part of the retina degrades. Aside from age, other risk factors for AMD are poor nutritional status and sunlight / UV light exposure. By exposing the eye to a lot of sun or UV light, photooxidation occurs and free radicals that damage the retinal membranes are formed. By ‘filtering’ out blue light, lutein and zeaxanthin is reported to absorb this light and prevent the overproduction of these reactive oxygen species, leading to reduced inflammation. 

Studies [Seddon et al.] have demonstrated that dietary supplementations with lutein and zeaxanthin reduces the risk by 25% to developing severe AMD in patients with moderate AMD. The dosing formulations used in studies were 10mg of lutein and 2mg of zeaxanthin.  The eye is a unique organ and eating certain foods may not necessarily mean they get transported to the eye. However, many studies show that supplementation with carotenoids leads to increased levels within retinal tissue in AMD patients. Studies also show that higher dietary lutein and zeaxanthin intake can significantly reduce the development of early AMD in those who are at genetic risk.  

Cataracts  

Cataracts occur when the lens tissue becomes opaque and interferes with light transmission to the retina. It has been suggested that lutein and zeaxanthin are delivered from the body to the lens, where they scavenge for these reactive oxidative species. It has been shown in a laboratory study using human lens cells that the cells incubated with lutein and zeaxanthin showed a significant reduction in oxidative stress damage [Gao et al.] 

Diabetic retinopathy  

High sugar levels in the retina compromises the small vessels and leads to biochemical changes with oxidative stress. Macular pigments (including Lutein and Zeaxanthin) are thought to aid protection in this situation through an anti-inflammatory effect.  

In laboratory mouse models, long term administration of lutein has been shown to reduce inflammation and thus reduces damage to the retinal vessels in early diabetic retinopathy. [Wang et al] 

The above information is summarised from publications below.

  • Feng L, Nie K, Jiang H, Fan W. Effects of lutein supplementation in age-related macular degeneration. PLoS One. 2019 Dec 30;14(12):e0227048. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227048. PMID: 31887124; PMCID: PMC6936877. 

  • Mrowicka M, Mrowicki J, Kucharska E, Majsterek I. Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Their Roles in Age-Related Macular Degeneration-Neurodegenerative Disease. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 16;14(4):827. doi: 10.3390/nu14040827. PMID: 35215476; PMCID: PMC8874683. 

  • Maoka T. Carotenoids as natural functional pigments. J. Nat. Med. 2020;74:1–16. doi: 10.1007/s11418-019-01364-x. 

  • Tanprasertsuk E.J., Li B., Bernstein P.S., Vishwanathan R., Johnson M.A., Poon L., Johnson E.J. Relationship between Concentrations of Lutein and StARD3 among Pediatric and Geriatric Human Brain Tissue. PLoS ONE. 2016;11:e0159877. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155488. 

  • Vingopoulos F, Bannerman A, Zhou P, Koch T, Wescott HE, Kim L, Vavvas D, Miller JW, Miller JB. Towards the validation of quantitative contrast sensitivity as a clinical endpoint: correlations with vision-related quality of life in bilateral AMD. Br J Ophthalmol. 2024 May 21;108(6):846-851. doi: 10.1136/bjo-2023-323507. PMID: 37857454. 

  • Seddon J.M., Ajani U.A., Sperduto F.L.D., Hiller R., Blair N., Burton T.C., Farber M.D., Gragoudas E.S., Haller J., Miller D.T., et al. Dietary carotenoids, Vitamins A, C, and E, and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Eye Disease Case–Control Study Group. JAMA. 1994;272:1413–1420. doi: 10.1001/jama.1994.03520180037032. 

  • Akuffo K.O., Nolan J.M., Howard A.N., Moran R., Stack J., Klein R., Klein B.E., Meuer S.M., Sabour-Pickett S., Thurnham D.I., et al. Sustained supplementation and monitored response with differing carotenoid formulations in early age-related macular degeneration. Eye. 2015;29:902–912. doi: 10.1038/eye.2015.64 

  • Abdel-Aal E.-S.M., Akhtar H., Zaheer K., Ali R. Dietary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids and their role in eye health. Nutrients. 2013;5:1169–1185. doi: 10.3390/nu5041169. 

  • Wang W., Tam K.C., Ng T.C., Goit R.K., Chan K.L.S., Lo A.C.Y. Long-term lutein administration attenuates retinal inflammation and functional deficits in early diabetic retinopathy using the Ins2Akita/+ mice. BMJ Open Diabetes Res. Care. 2020;8:e001519. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001519. 

  • Gao S., Qin T., Liu Z., Caceres M.A., Ronchi C.F., Chen O., Yeum K., Taylor A., Blumberg J.B., Liu Y., et al. Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation reduces H2O2 induced oxidative damage in human lens epithelial cells. Mol. Vis. 2011;17:3180–3190. 

fiona chan