According to Korean scientists, the carotenoid associated with eye health called lutein protects the retina from damage by inhibiting inflammation.

The study which was supported by Kemin Food Asia used retinal ischemia (or reduced blood flow to the retina) as a model for retinal neuronal cell death that occurs for several eye conditions including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is a progressive eye disease that affects the central macula of the eye, leaving sufferers with only peripheral vision. It is the most common cause of blindness in the over-50s in the Western world, according to AMD Alliance International, and is estimated to affect 25 to 30m people.

"These results suggest that a lutein supplement may protect against ischemia-mediated cell death in the retina," concluded lead author Jun-Sub Choi from the Catholic University of Korea.

This new study is published on-line in the journal Nutrition (doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2005.08.011).

Read more at NutraIngredients.