Can lutein help reduce the risk of cataracts?
The latest progress report from the Beaver Dam eye study, which involves adults from 43-84 years of age, suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin intake may reduce the incidence of cataracts.**20 Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in the lens. Chasan-Taber and co-workers conducted a prospective study of 77,466 female nurses 45-71 years old, from 1980 through 1992. The results showed that nurses with the highest intake of lutein and zeaxanthin had 22 percent lower risk of cataract extraction compared to those in the lowest quintile of intake. This study also showed that high intake of spinach and kale, green vegetables rich in lutein, may reduce the risk of cataract extraction.**5 Both spinach and kale are rich in lutein. In a similar study, Brown and collaborators studied the association between carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin and lycopene) and Vitamin A intakes and cataracts extraction in 36,344 male health professionals 45
