Lutein tablets, capsules, powder, liquid…which one should I choose?

The weather is extremely hot. If your eyes are not protected from the sun, it may cause macular degeneration! To prevent macular degeneration and aging, you must rely on lutein, which is known as a "natural sunscreen." Taking lutein can help improve the symptoms of macular sensitivity to light. When it comes to the nemesis of macular degeneration, lutein is the best. However, most people still have many questions about how to choose lutein.

Many people ask: "There are so many lutein products on the market, whether they are tablets, capsules, powders or liquid supplements, which one should I choose?"

How to choose among the many lutein dosage forms? Doctors crack

Dr. Chen Yingshan, director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Cathay Hospital in Hsinchu, said in his new book "3C Eyes Are Saved: Eye Protection Prescriptions from Ophthalmology Authority Chen Yingshan" that before answering this question, we should first understand it from two aspects. First, when nutrients enter the stomach and intestines, they will enter the liver through the lacteals. Therefore, the absorption rate of nutrients absorbed through the stomach and intestines will be related to the dosage form. Second, the main transportation process of lutein is from the liver to the macula after detoxification. Lutein is a fat-soluble substance, and its transportation tool is high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Therefore, when the body is healthy and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the body increases, lutein can be transported more effectively, and the dosage form has nothing to do with it at this time.

So, there are so many dosage forms of lutein, how should we choose? For the elderly and children, it seems more convenient to drink liquid or powdered form with water. As for capsules and tablets, since the particles are larger and a bit hard, there is a concern that children and the elderly may have difficulty swallowing them. Although liquid and powdered forms are easy to digest, they disperse too quickly and are easily excreted, so their usage rate is not very high. As for soft capsules and tablets, granular tablets are more difficult to digest than soft capsules. However, because they stay in the stomach and intestines longer and are more stable, they can be digested and absorbed more leisurely, which can relatively increase the body's utilization rate.

Lutein can be obtained from food.

There are also common questions like: "Should I take lutein alone? Or is it better to take a combination?", "Is a single formula purer?"

Compound lutein can make enzymes decompose in multiple ways to achieve nutritional balance

In fact, from a medical point of view, the body has limited enzymes. If you take a single prescription, it is easy for most of the enzymes to focus on breaking down lutein, and will neglect the decomposition and absorption of other nutrients, which can easily cause an imbalance in nutrient absorption. Therefore, compound supplementation can allow enzymes to decompose in multiple ways to achieve nutritional balance.

For example, the added ingredients of multi-formula lutein compound products may include DHA, zinc, trace element selenium, wolfberry, cassia seed, Q10, PS phospholipids, and antioxidants such as vitamin C. In addition to reducing the risk of eye diseases, they are also helpful for brain and cardiovascular health.

Dr. Chen Yingshan reminds us that some lutein products contain beta-carotene. In fact, beta-carotene is also one of the eye-protecting nutrients. However, smokers should control their intake as excessive intake may increase the risk of cancer. If you take multiple health foods at the same time, you can consult a professional to avoid excessive intake.

When purchasing lutein, some people may ask: "Should I choose free lutein or esterified lutein?"**

Generally speaking, lutein is mostly extracted from marigolds and can be divided into free form and ester form. The free form lutein has been hydrolyzed to remove fatty acids, and its molecular weight is greatly reduced to only about 1/2 of the ester form. It does not need to go through the human digestion process and can be directly absorbed in the small intestine and converted into nutrients needed by the human body.

Free or esterified types are better absorbed when used after meals

Esterified lutein has a very long structural formula, and its side chain contains palmitate. Because it contains fat components and has a large molecular weight, it needs the assistance of intestinal enzymes to break it down into lutein and fatty acids. However, it also has excellent bioavailability and better stability. After lutein is absorbed in the small intestine, its blood concentration remains the same, except that the esterified form is twice as much, which preserves the natural form of lutein. Whether it is the free type or the esterified type, it is recommended to use it after meals so that it can be digested together with other fats in the food so that the absorption effect will be better.

Dr. Chen Yingshan reminds us that when choosing lutein, in addition to paying attention to the form, the focus should also be on purity and understanding the actual dosage of lutein rather than the dosage of the raw materials. It is recommended to carefully choose the lutein that suits you according to your needs.