Efficacy of Commercially Available Nutritional Supplements: Analysis of Serum Uptake, Macular Pigment Optical Density and Visual Functional Response

• Main Authors: Richard A. Bone, Pinakin Gunvant Davey, Betzabe O. Roman, David W. Evans
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: lutein; zeaxanthin; meso-zeaxanthin; macular pigment optical density; PreserVision; Lumega-Z
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/5/1321

<b>Purpose: </b>To compare the change in serum carotenoids, macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and visual function with the intake of two commercially available nutritional supplements. <b>Methods: </b>Participants were given a 24-week supply of a lipid-based micronized liquid medical food, Lumega-Z™ (LM), containing 28 mg of the macular carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and <i>meso</i>-zeaxanthin (MZ), or given PreserVision™ AREDS 2 Formula (gel-caps; PV) containing 12 mg of the macular carotenoids L and Z, but no reported MZ. Serum levels of L, Z and MZ were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks. Macular pigment optical densities (MPOD) and visual function were assessed at baseline and after 24 weeks.<b> Results: </b>Average blood serum concentrations of L, Z and MZ in the two groups at baseline were similar. The increases in L, Z and MZ were 0.434, 0.063 and 0.086 mol/L vs. 0.100, 0.043 and 0.001 mol/L, respectively, in the LM vs. PV group. From baseline to week 24, average MPOD in the LM-group increased by 0.064 from 0.418 to 0.482, whereas in the PV-group, it was essentially unchanged (0.461 to 0.459;). Although log-contrast sensitivity was improved in all groups under three conditions (photopic, mesopic and mesopic with glare), the change in log-contrast sensitivity was not statistically significant<b>. Conclusion: </b>Despite only a 2.3-fold<b> </b>higher carotenoid concentration than PV, LM supplementation provides approximately 3–4-fold higher absorption, which leads to a significant elevation of MPOD levels.