Study: Lutein (2004) and AMD

Another lutein study was reported last month in the July, 2004 issue of The Journal Experimental Eye Research. And although this small, brief study didn't exactly fit the scope of what the Chicago team called for in the conclusion to their research, it still serves to confirm the effectiveness of lutein for patients with AMD.

Singapore Polytechnic researchers tested a group of seven older subjects with early stage AMD, and six subjects of the same age with healthy eyesight. Each subject received 10 mg of lutein supplements daily for 18 to 20 weeks.

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and plasma concentrations of lutein were measured before and after the study. The MPOD average increased significantly in both groups as lutein levels rose. Researchers concluded that even a diseased macula may accumulate and synthesize lutein effectively, while people with healthy macula reap benefits from lutein as well.