Zeaxanthin is a carotenoid found, together with lutein, in green leafy vegetables. It is best known as part of the AREDS2 eye vitamin formula for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Also known as: meso-zeaxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin, AREDS2.
The AREDS2 formula contains 2 mg of zeaxanthin and 10 mg of lutein, with 500 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, 80 mg zinc and 2 mg copper (NEI). These are study protocols, not a recommendation.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.
What studies show: AREDS2 enrolled 4,203 people aged 50 to 85 at risk of advanced AMD. Over a median of 5 years, adding lutein plus zeaxanthin to the original AREDS formula did not significantly reduce progression to advanced AMD in the main analysis. More lung cancers occurred in people taking beta-carotene (2.0% versus 0.9%), mostly in former smokers, so the researchers said lutein plus zeaxanthin could replace beta-carotene in the formula (AREDS2 2013). NEI says people who took the formula with lutein and zeaxanthin and no beta-carotene had a lower risk of advanced AMD than those who took it with beta-carotene. The trial tested people with existing AMD risk signs, not the general public.
Safety: NEI says the original AREDS formula with beta-carotene is not recommended for current or former smokers. The sources here do not describe drug interactions.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for zeaxanthin that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one.
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