What is the appropriate dose of lutein? Is it possible to get a lot? We’ve only known about the benefits of lutein and some other carotenoids for a few years. Therefore, it is not always easy to obtain information. Here you can learn more about carotenoids and how much you should be getting each day.
Carotenoids are responsible for many of the colors you see in vegetables. It is divided into two groups; Carotenoids and xanthophylls. Carotenoids include alpha, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Xanthophylls include lutein and zeaxanthin. All of these act as antioxidants in the human body.
Other antioxidants include vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, catechins, curcumin, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, l-carnosine and l-glutathione. L-glutathione is probably the most potent antioxidant, but it is rarely found in dietary supplements, because only the reduced form can pass through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.
The supplement that contains it will need to be enteric coated. Otherwise, it will be broken down into three constituent amino acids, which will not have the desired effect. Some other antioxidants, like curcumin, are quickly broken down by stomach acid, too. Very little ends up in the bloodstream, if it is not protected by an enteric coating.
If an enteric coating was included in the supplement, the appropriate lutein dose would be 50 mg. There is no minimum daily requirement yet to be established for the nutrient. No upper limit is set. If it is like the beta-carotene associated with it, there is no upper limit to its intake, because the body uses what it needs to make vitamin A and the rest is simply eliminated.
At very high doses, any of the carotenoids leads to a bronze appearance in the skin. This may be unwanted or desirable, depending on the person.
For children 5 years of age and older, the appropriate lutein dose is 10 mg. Interesting that some Anti-aging supplement Which is claimed to help seniors preserve their vision contains only 10 mg. Some do not contain zeaxanthin or other carotenoids, all of which are important for eye health.
It is always difficult to find a good supplement. 85% of the nutritional supplements on the market contain synthetic beta-carotene. It may come as a surprise to you that our vitamin supplements, which are supposed to be beneficial to our health, are made from petroleum chemicals. No wonder the benefits are questionable.
A good supplement will contain a decent dose of lutein and 100% all natural ingredients, no chemical additives, no artificial colors or flavors. There is a growing number of healthcare professionals who believe that cancer and a variety of other diseases are primarily due to our exposure to synthetic additives and toxins in the environment.
It takes years of research to get regulators to see what scientists saw in the lab. For now, it’s up to the consumer to try and find the most natural products on the market. A good lutein dosage is good for your health, but not if the other ingredients are synthetic. Shop carefully and be healthy.