The Importance of Lutein and Zeaxanthin Supplements from Pregnancy to Childhood

Supporting maternal health through healthy nutrition can set the stage for a lifetime of wellbeing. Perinatal development and infancy are defined by the growth of several essential organ systems, making it a crucial period for supporting brain and eye development. Two nutritional bioactives—lutein and zeaxanthin—play a vital role in eye and brain health throughout life. Lutein is a non-provitamin A dietary carotenoid. Zeaxanthin is an isomer of lutein, meaning it shares a nearly identical chemical formula. Together, they are known as macular carotenoids because they are exclusively deposited in the eye’s macula. These organic compounds also accumulate in the brain during fetal development, infancy, childhood, and even adulthood. Since the body cannot make lutein and zeaxanthin on its own, you must acquire them through diet and/or supplementation.

Why is Supplementing Lutein and Zeaxanthin During the Prenatal Period Crucial?

Lutein and zeaxanthin have a strong presence in maternal plasma throughout the entire course of pregnancy. In fact, they are reported to be one of the most abundant carotenoids in umbilical cord blood, providing essential nutrients to the developing fetus. Here are four important benefits of supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin during the prenatal period:

May Offer Protection from Oxidative Stress

During fetal development, the brain, and by extension, the eyes, originate from the neural tube. The fovea—a small pit at the center of the retina responsible for central vision—takes several years to mature fully. It’s critical for vision because it manages color discrimination, contrast sensitivity, acuity, and motion detection. Like the retina, the brain continues to mature for several years after birth. The high metabolic nature of brain and eye development makes them vulnerable to oxidative stress. With oxidative stress, there is an excess of free radicals and a shortage of antioxidants to properly manage them. Lutein and zeaxanthin can help support the optimal health of retinal and brain development by reducing oxidative stress.

May Reduce Damage from Blue Light

Excessive light energy, such as short-wave high-energy blue light from sunlight or electronic devices, can be damaging to developing eyes. Thanks to their yellow-orange coloration and accumulation in the retina, lutein and zeaxanthin can help filter blue light before it can reach the photoreceptors of the retina. These bioactives start to accumulate around 20-22 weeks of gestation when essential layers of the retina are developing.

May Support Other Aspects of Visual Performance

By accumulating directly in the macula, lutein and zeaxanthin make up the macular pigment (MP) in the retina. MP is measured as macular pigment optical density (MPOD). The values of MPOD can range from 0 to as high as 1.60. Research suggests that MPOD plays a critical role in determining the retina’s ability to block out blue light and support other important areas of visual performance, such as glare discomfort, photo stress recovery under bright light conditions, contrast sensitivity, and visual processing speed.

May Support Brain Cognitive Outcomes

MPOD levels also play a role in brain cognitive outcomes during childhood as well as later life, including a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. However, most Americans do not consume enough quantities of lutein and zeaxanthin in their regular diet to support adequate MPOD levels. Supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin has been shown to support visual health and performance. A recent study indicated that infants whose mothers received lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation during the last trimester of pregnancy produced a significant 5-fold increase in cord blood serum lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations.

Should Mothers Continue Supplementing Lutein and Zeaxanthin Even After Giving Birth?

Most Americans do not receive the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day, which means lutein and zeaxanthin intakes are low. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004 showed that intake of lutein and zeaxanthin was less than 0.6 mg/day in children. Since brain and eye development continues after birth, mothers are encouraged to continue supplementing lutein and zeaxanthin even after birth. For instance, the brain’s physical structure isn’t fully complete until age six. Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in the infant brain, representing up to 60% of all carotenoids. When combined with zeaxanthin, the two bioactives account for 75% of the total carotenoids. Lutein supplementation of mothers during breastfeeding can increase lutein levels in maternal plasma, breast milk, and infant plasma.

Should Mothers Give Lutein and Zeaxanthin to Their Children as They Grow Up?

The brain goes through constant development throughout childhood. Even though the brain’s physical structure reaches maturity by age six, modification of that structure continues until early adulthood. For instance, a wave of synaptogenesis—the creation of synapses—occurs near puberty (11-12 years of age). Lutein crosses the blood-brain barrier and is well-positioned in membranes to limit the oxidation of brain lipids. The potential lipid-protective action may support membrane stability and function as well as communications between neurons. Studies have looked at the relationship between MPOD and cognitive function in preadolescent children between 7-13 years of age. The studies showed that children with higher MPOD had lower brain activation when conducting the same cognitive tasks as children with lower MPOD. In other words, children with lower MPOD needed more brain to handle the same task, which suggests there was less neural efficiency.

Introducing Lutemax 2020 and Lutemax Kids

Lutein and zeaxanthin are important during the prenatal period for mom and baby. Lutemax 2020 and Lutemax Kids are extracts containing all three nutritionally relevant macular carotenoids—lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin—in a similar 5:1 ratio as found in the diet. Most children aged 4 and overspend at least four hours a day on digital devices, exposing them to the potentially negative impact of blue light. With Lutemax Kids, just 12 mg (Lutemax 2020, 10 mg lutein, and 2 mg zeaxanthin isomers) was shown to support aspects of eye health and cognition in children, limiting the impact of blue light. Adding Lutemax 2020 and Lutemax Kids to your nutritional products may help consumers get the eye health and cognitive performance support they’re looking for. Contact our team today to learn more!