What is Lutein Deficiency and How to Tell if You are Low?

Lutein is a vital nutrient that plays a key role in keeping your eyes healthy. But what happens when you're not getting enough of it? Eye doctors and researchers have known about the benefits of lutein for the eyes for a long time. Dr. Joseph Allen OD, FAAO (Doctor Eye Health), has partnered with OmniActive Health Technologies on its consumer education initiative, Lutein for Every Age, to help highlight the importance of lutein for your body’s health—especially when it comes to your eyes.  Lutein deficiency occurs when you don’t have enough lutein in your body. This deficiency can lead to lower levels of macular pigment in your eyes, which can put you at greater risk for issues like macular degeneration. Alarmingly, published scientific data and MPOD testing indicate that most people are probably not getting enough lutein. MPOD testing is a common test available in many eye clinics which helps optometrists measure what is called Macular Pigment Optical Density or MPOD. “And I can tell you - most people - indeed fail this eye test,” says Dr. Allen. “If you do score poorly, unfortunately, it means your very precious eyes could be at a higher risk for age-related health problems and worse visual performance.” But how is this MPOD test related to how much Lutein you get? Let’s break down how lutein can improve your scores on an MPOD test and what that means for your eye health.

What Does Lutein Do Inside the Eye?

When digested, lutein, along with another carotenoid pigment called zeaxanthin, travels to your eyes and gets deposited in a region called the macula. “I like to explain it as sort of the bulls-eye of the back of the eye - it's the part of the eye that gives your sharpest vision, your ability to read small letters, recognize faces, and see colors,” says Dr. Allen. Lutein, zeaxanthin, and another carotenoid called meso-zeaxanthin are all deposited in the macula in very high concentrations. While there are over 600 carotenoids found in nature, only lutein and zeaxanthin are deposited in the eye, and at a level of 1000x more concentrated than what is found in the bloodstream.  “This is huge for eye health because these pigments essentially work as mother nature's natural filter from high-energy light -  and since these pigments, like lutein, are more of a yellow/orange type color - they are especially effective at filtering and protecting against blue light,” says Dr. Allen. Along with filtering harsh light, they can also play a role in dampening oxidative stress within the eye. According to Dr. Allen, oxidative stress can affect the aging of the eye as well as cataract formation. Lutein is the only carotenoid found to reduce the risk of cataracts. 

MPOD Test: What Do I Do with a Low Score?

The MPOD test helps measure the density of lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin in the macula of the eye. If an individual receives a low MPOD test score, it’s usually an indication of the poor health status of the retina in the back of the eye, which is frequently observed in people who develop age-related macular degeneration. In contrast, higher MPOD levels are associated with improved visual function, including correlation with contrast sensitivity, photo stress recovery, and glare disability. Doctors typically recommend eating more specific lutein-rich foods and taking a lutein supplement. Scientific research and studies suggest macular pigment density can be increased through lutein supplementation. However, it appears that diet changes alone aren’t enough to improve the support of lutein. A meta-analysis from 2021 review studies where people did make dietary changes resulted in only a 5mg increase in serum lutein.  While dietary change may only minimally affect MPOD results, if at all, Dr. Allen still recommends that people try to eat much more lutein-rich foods. “I still think it's super important to focus on eating healthy, whole foods and eating plenty of veggies as they, of course, have so many health benefits, and we know most people don’t get the daily recommended amounts of vegetables in their diet to begin with,” says Dr. Allen.  However, Dr. Allen points out that published research clearly indicates that supplementation with lutein results in the largest improvement in MPOD scores and eye benefits. Remarkably, studies show upwards of about 30% increase in MPOD scores with lutein supplementation over three to six months when taking a supplement with somewhere between 10-20 mg of lutein. 

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OmniActive’s award-winning, clinically backed, and IP-protected Lutemax 2020 is a naturally derived marigold extract that delivers a unique combination of lutein and zeaxanthin isomers.  Lutemax 2020 can be found in several high-quality supplements visit the  Where-to-buy section today!