A supplement containing lutein, zeaxanthin and blackcurrant extract may reverse signs of visual fatigue, according to a new study from Japan and Singapore.
Visual fatigue, caused by many factors, not least staring at computer
monitors for long hours, may be eased a daily supplement containing
blackcurrant fruit extract (200 mg), lutein (5 mg), and zeaxanthin (1
mg), according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
cross-over trial.
The findings, published in the journal Applied Ergonomics, adds to the
ever growing body of science supporting the eye health benefits of
lutein and zeaxanthin.
Lutein, a nutrient found in various foods including green leafy
vegetables and egg yolk, has a ten-year history in the dietary
supplement market as a nutrient to reduce the risk of age related
macular degeneration (ADM). It is often used in combination with
zeaxanthin.
Looking at visual fatigue
Researchers from Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan and Singapore’s
Cerebos Pacific Limited, which supplied the supplement used in the
study, recruited 22 people to participate, 13 of whom actually completed
the study.
The subjects were randomly assigned to receive either the lutein
supplement, or placebo, for two weeks, followed by two weeks of washout,
and a further two weeks with the opposite intervention.
After completing a two hour visual proof reading task, the researchers
measured signs of visual fatigue, including so-called eye fixation
related potentials (EFRP).
“EFRP is thought to reflect the total functioning of the visual system,
consisting of the retina, the muscle of the pupil, the muscles involved
in eye movements, and central nervous system functioning,” explained the
researchers.
“In the present study, [a supplement containing lutein, zeaxanthin, and
blackcurrant extract]may have had beneficial effects on visual
functioning that served to counteract or prevent fatigue induced by the
proof reading task,” they added.
“Overall, our results suggest that a combination of lutein, zeaxanthin
and blackcurrant extract can aid recovery from visual fatigue,” they
concluded.
By Stephen Daniells, 10-Aug-2009
Source: Applied Ergonomics
Volume 40, Issue 6, Pages 1047-1054
“The effect of lutein supplementation on visual fatigue: A psychophysiological analysis”
Authors: A. Yagi, K. Fujimoto, K. Michihiro, B. Goh, D. Tsi, H. Nagai
Category: Productos
Source: Nutraingredients.com