| If you are wondering what is lutein, you have | | | | many of the colors seen in fruits, vegetable and |
| probably seen it listed on a supplement or on a | | | | other plants. It is responsible for the bright yellow |
| bottle next to your daily multi-vitamin. If you | | | | color of egg yolks, because chicken-feed is |
| picked up the bottle, it might say something like | | | | fortified with it. Surveyed customers found yellow |
| "supports eye health". That's about all the | | | | chicken-skin more appealing than white. But, in |
| manufacturers are allowed to say right now, at | | | | order to get that yellow tint, farmers must give |
| least in the US. | | | | the chickens the lutein-fortified feed. |
| In the US, dietary supplements are regulated by | | | | It is found in green leafy vegetables, such as kale |
| the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal | | | | and spinach, as is zeaxanthin, a similar carotenoid. |
| Trade Commission. But, in some ways, they are | | | | In the human body, both of these carotenoids act |
| poorly regulated. They are not required to prove | | | | as antioxidants. The highest concentration of |
| the content of the supplement is accurately | | | | these pigments is found in the back of the eye, in |
| reflected on the label. They are not required to | | | | an area called the retina. That brings us to what is |
| test raw ingredients for contaminants, nor is | | | | lutein good for. |
| individual batch testing required. | | | | It has been found that the concentration of lutein |
| There is an omega 3 supplement on the market | | | | and zeaxanthin in the retina is lower in people with |
| that was found to contain levels of contaminants | | | | age-related macular degeneration. Several |
| higher than those allowed by European Union | | | | preliminary studies have shown that |
| standards, but the product was never pulled from | | | | supplementation reduces the risk of the |
| US markets. It is up to the American consumer | | | | degenerative eye disease that often results in |
| to do their own research. | | | | blindness. |
| By the same token, we have to do our own | | | | At least one study has shown that |
| research to learn what an herb or nutrient is good | | | | supplementation can reverse (let us not say |
| for. You may be wondering what is lutein, | | | | "cure") the disease. |
| because US manufacturers are not allowed to go | | | | Large-scale studies are currently underway to |
| into great detail on the labels of their dietary | | | | determine safety and effectiveness, as well as |
| supplements. This is meant to protect the | | | | the ideal dosage. |
| consumer from fraudulent claims. | | | | However, anything that is meant to cure or treat |
| Interestingly, the FTC will shut down a | | | | a disease is considered a drug in the US. |
| manufacturer quickly, if they claim that a product | | | | This does not mean that supplements contain |
| will cure or prevent a disease. But, as mentioned | | | | lutein will disappear after the studies are |
| above, companies that sell tainted supplements | | | | completed. It just means that pharmaceutical |
| are allowed to conduct business as usual. It almost | | | | grades, costing quite a bit more, will be released. |
| seems a little backward. | | | | That should answer the question of what is lutein |
| But, let's get to what is lutein and what is it good | | | | and maybe you learned a few things about |
| for? | | | | dietary supplements. But, there's always more to |
| Lutein is a carotenoid, a pigment responsible for | | | | learn. |