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Lee Swanson Research Update
Study Finds Carotenoids and Vitamin E Cut Cataract Risk
February 2008
A higher intake of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vitamin E, could reduce the risk of developing cataracts in women by about 15%, according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology.
More than 35,000 women took part in the study, which showed that a high intake of the two carotenoids, either from food or from supplements, reduced the risk of cataracts by 18%, while vitamin E was associated with a 14% reduction.
"The results of the present study add to the growing body of observational evidence that suggests a possible beneficial effect of lutein/zeaxanthin in delaying cataract formation," wrote lead author William Christen from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
"Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids detected in the human lens, and the presence of oxidation products of lutein and zeaxanthin in the lens further supports a functional role for xanthophylls in maintaining lens clarity," Christen continued. "The oxidative hypothesis of cataract formation posits that reactive oxygen species can damage lens proteins and fiber cell membranes and that nutrients with antioxidant capabilities can protect against these changes."
The researchers recruited 39,876 female health professionals (average age 53.5) and obtained detailed dietary information from 35,551, using food frequency questionnaires (FFQ). After tracking the women for 10 years, 2,031 cases of cataract were confirmed. By quantifying intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin into five groups, the researchers report that women with the highest average intake (6,716 mcg per day) had an 18% lower risk of developing cataracts than women with the lowest average intake (1,177 mcg per day).
Moreover, women with the highest average vitamin E intake from food and supplements (262.4 mg per day) were 14% less likely to develop cataracts than women with the lowest average intake (4.4 mg per day).
Researchers concluded that "higher dietary intakes of lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E from food and supplements were associated with a significantly decreased risk of cataracts."
Archives of Ophthalmology 126(1):102-109, 2008
