Lee Swanson Research Update

Lutein Appears to Protect Eyes from Effects of Strong Light

June 2011

A new Japanese study with mice has found that the eye health benefits of lutein supplements may extend to protection against the damaging effects of strong light.

According to new findings published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, lutein may protect the DNA of photoreceptive cells in the retina from the harmful effects of strong light.

Japanese researchers also report that visual impairment produced by strong light exposure was attenuated in mice fed supplements of lutein.

Lutein, a nutrient found in various foods, including green leafy vegetables and egg yolk, has a 10-year history as a nutrient that helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 50.

For the new study, the researchers divided mice into two groups: One group was fed normal chow and the second group had their chow supplemented with 0.1 percent lutein. The animals were fed the diets for 10 days before being exposed to light.

Results showed that lutein supplementation was associated with a reduction in a range of detrimental effects associated with light exposure, including visual impairment and a thinning of the layer of photoreceptor cells.

In addition, the researchers note that a marker of DHA damage was up-regulated in the normal chow-fed animals, but this was suppressed in the lutein-fed animals.

“Therefore, lutein induced DNA repair, which could suppress DNA damage and photoreceptor cell apoptosis. Lutein reduced light-induced oxidative stress in the retina, which might contribute to promoting DNA repair. The lutein-supplemented diet attenuated light-induced visual impairment by protecting the photoreceptor cells’ DNA,” they said.

“Although lutein has been applied as a dietary supplement for chronic diseases, such as AMD, it may have a chance to be involved as a preventive medicine for acute diseases in the future,” wrote the authors.

“Moreover, elucidating the molecular mechanism of lutein’s effect on light-induced photoreceptor cell apoptosis might also be helpful for analyzing lutein’s effect on the photodamage in other organs.

“In the skin, lutein is believed to protect against edema and hyperplasia after UV exposure. The present study will help understand its molecular mechanism,” they concluded.

Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; Published online ahead of print.

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