Botanical

Zeaxanthin & meso-zeaxanthin

Zeaxanthin from marigold flower extract

Two pigments concentrated at the very center of the macula, where they're part of the pigment that filters blue light.

Evidence
B Studied only alongside lutein; one good trial, mixed results
Studied for
Macular pigment and contrast sensitivity

What studies found

In one review, formulas with meso-zeaxanthin raised macular pigment more than formulas without it. Adding zeaxanthin to lutein didn't raise macular pigment more than lutein alone. The 12-month CREST trial used our exact amounts and found small contrast sensitivity gains at 2 of 5 pattern sizes. Both have been studied only in combination with lutein.

How much is in our products

ProductAmount
Eye Supplement 10 mg meso-zeaxanthin + 2 mg zeaxanthin per softgel

In studies: 10 mg meso-zeaxanthin and 2 mg zeaxanthin a day in CREST; about 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg in a screen-user study.

Our amounts match CREST; our meso-zeaxanthin is much higher than in the screen-user study.

Who should take care

Formal safety testing of meso-zeaxanthin comes mostly from animal studies. Our 2 mg of zeaxanthin matches the European limit for synthetic zeaxanthin in supplements (ours is marigold-derived). The softgel contains soy lecithin, so skip it if you're allergic to soy. Large amounts of carotenoids can tint skin yellow-orange; if that happens, stop and ask your doctor.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement if you take any medicine, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.

Read more in our guides

Sources

  1. Ma L, et al. 2016. Nutrients
  2. Nolan JM, et al. 2016. CREST Report 1, IOVS
  3. Shyam R, et al. 2017. PNAS
  4. Scripsema NK, et al. 2015. J Ophthalmol
  5. European Commission 2013. Decision 2013/49/EU
  6. NutraIngredients-USA 2014. Meso-zeaxanthin

This page is for general education and isn't medical advice. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.