Xanthophyll accumulation in the human retina during supplementation with lutein or zeaxanthin – the LUXEA (LUtein Xanthophyll Eye Accumulation) study

Abstract The xanthophylls lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) form the macular pigment with the highest density in the macula lutea . We investigated Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) responses to supplementation with identically formulated (Actilease™) L or Z (OPTISHARP™) or L + Z over 6–12 months using doses of 10 or 20 mg/day. MPOD as well as blue light sensitivity in fovea and parafovea were measured monthly by heterochromatic flicker photometry. Average xanthophyll plasma concentrations, analysed monthly by HPLC, increased up to 27-fold. MPOD increased by 15% upon L or L + Z supplementation. Supplementation of Z alone produced similar pigment accumulation in fovea and parafovea, which confounded MPOD measurements. After correction for this, a 14% MPOD increase resulted for Z. Thus, during supplementation with xanthophylls, L is predominantly deposited in the fovea while Z deposition appears to cover a wider retinal area. This may be relevant to health and disease of the retina.