Lutein-Zeaxanthin Supplement Improves MPOD, Cognitive Test Performance in Teens: Study

A recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that daily supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin over a period of six months led to improvements in macular pigment optical density and measures of cognitive performance in a group of teens. The findings were published in Nutrition Research.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have long been known to accumulate in the macula of the eye, located in the center of the retina, acting as a filter for blue light and reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Emerging research has also suggested that it may play a role in cognitive function, particularly in patients with dementia and in healthy young adults, though research involving children’s cognitive performance and development is limited. “Meta-analyses have confirmed that LZ supplementation can increase macular pigment optical density (MPOD, eye concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin) in adults, and as MPOD is a biomarker of brain LZ, it is positively associated with cognitive function. In a systematic review of 19 studies, it was concluded that memory, processing speed, attention, and reasoning were positively associated with MPOD values in adults.”

In the present study, 82 teenagers were assigned to receive either the lutein-zeaxanthin supplement, provided by Bio-gen Extracts, which supported the study, or a matching placebo daily for six months. They were chosen for their high screen use and relatively low consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Outcome measures included changes in  MPOD and cognitive performance via a battery of visual processing, memory, learning, and cognition assessments.

Compared to placebo, the teens who took lutein and zeaxanthin saw greater improvements in the left (P=0.10) and right (P=0.04) eyes, tests of attention (P=0.26), and processing speed (P=0.34), but not in tests of visual reasoning, nonverbal memory, or a first-person shooting game.