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Our Members Asked:
I've been using a lutein supplement with 40 mg of lutein and am concerned that this dose may be too high. Are there known harmful side-effects?
Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Answer:
Although some products do contain high amounts of lutein, lower amounts are typically used to improve vision in people with atrophic age-related macular degeneration. The lower amounts have been found to be effective, as well as safe, in clinical studies. As with other anti-oxidants, “more” is not necessarily “better” when taking lutein. There is also a concern with long-term supplementation, especially in smokers. Get the details about lutein dosage and safety, along with our test reviews of products, in the ConsumerTips section of the Lutein and Zeaxanthin Supplements Review>>Join today to unlock all member benefits including full access to all CL Answers and over 1,300 reviews.
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Ronald16890
June 10, 2018Getting off the Standard American Diet (SAD) is one of the best ways to reduce the potential for many problems. Eat real, whole food ... check out Paleo, GAPS, Mediterranean, type diets.
ConsumerLab.com
June 11, 2018Hi Ronald - It's true that in general, it's best to get your vitamins and nutrients from foods -- although there are some exceptions (see https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/is-it-better-to-get-vitamins-from-foods-or-supplements/natural-vs-synthetic-vitamin/. As noted in the Vision Supplements Review, population studies suggest people who get more lutein and zeaxanthin from their diets tend to have lower rates of macular degeneration (see the Getting Lutein and Zeaxanthin from Food section of the Vision Supplements Review for good dietary sources of these nutrients https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/lutein-zeaxanthin-supplements-review/lutein/#buying). However, many people consume relatively small amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin in their diets or have low levels of lutein in their blood, in which case, a supplement may help slow the progression of AMD.