title: Dose-dependent response of serum lutein and macular pigment optical density to supplementation with lutein esters.
abstract: We conducted a study to determine the effect of different doses of a lutein supplement on serum lutein concentration and macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Lutein is one of the major components of human macular pigment. Eighty-seven subjects received daily doses of 5, 10, or 20 mg of lutein, or a placebo, over a 140 day period. Serum lutein concentration was determined by HPLC and MPOD by heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP). Serum lutein responded positively, except in the placebo group, reaching a plateau that, averaged for each dosage group, was linearly dependent on dose. Likewise MPOD, on average, increased at a rate that varied linearly with dose. For subjects deemed more proficient at HFP, approximately 29% of the variability in MPOD response could be attributed to a linear dependence on the fractional change in serum lutein concentration. We did not detect any significant influence of age on serum lutein uptake or MPOD response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA. bone@fiu.edu
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bone
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Landrum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004952:Esters; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004952:Esters; D014975:Lutein