In its report on vision, the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlighted just how important our eyesight is at every stage of life, it being the most dominant of our senses. We need it to recognise and bond with our mother from birth, just as we need it to maintain our independence as we reach our latter years.
Worryingly, the WHO report predicted a dramatic increase in the need for eye care in the coming decades, placing significant challenges on healthcare systems. However there is also a lot we can do to help ourselves when it comes to what we put into our bodies.
A feast for the eyes
Good nutrition goes hand-in-hand with overall health and wellbeing, but certain nutrients play a specific role in the eye. One range of supplements – MacuShield – stands out for its carefully selected nutrients and a formulation developed with leading eye health experts.
All of the products in the MacuShield range contain all three macular carotenoids: lutein (10 mg), zeaxanthin (10 mg), and meso-zeaxanthin (2 mg) by way of the brand’s signature LMZ3 nutrient blend. Developed in collaboration with eye health experts, MacuShield’s formulas contain macular carotenoids sourced from marigolds (Tagetes erecta) grown specifically for this purpose.
Lutein and zeaxanthin can be found in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, such as peppers and sweetcorn, and leafy greens such as spinach and kale, while meso-zeaxanthin can be found in some fish and seafood, such as trout and shrimp. However, as can be seen from the various iterations of the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS), we do not always manage to achieve our optimal nutrient intakes from food. For example, only 33 per cent of adults aged 19 to 64 are achieving their 5-A-Day of fruit and vegetables.
B2 or not B2
Besides the LMZ3 macular carotenoids, MacuShield’s Original+ contains vitamin B2 (0.3 mg), also known as riboflavin which supports eye health, while MacuShield's Gold Formula contains zinc to maintain normal vision. Catering to varying needs, the one-a-day formula also comes in a vegetarian capsule, as well as in a chewable blueberry tablet format.
Importantly, the vitamin B2 in the Original+ 5 equates to 21 per cent of the nutrient reference value (1.4mg), and the Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register officially recognises that riboflavin (vitamin B2) contributes to the maintenance of normal vision. Yet research shows one in eight women aged 19 to 64 years are not getting enough in their diet to meet the lower reference nutrient intake (LRNI) for vitamin B2, compared to one in 25 men in the same age group.
MacuShield recognises the changing nutrient needs of individuals as they progress through adulthood. Therefore, MacuShield Gold – their most advanced formula – contains additional vitamins and minerals to help support eye health alongside their LMZ3 carotenoids in a three-a-day softshell capsule format. MacuShield Gold8 contains vitamin C (500mg), vitamin E (268mg), Zinc (25mg), and copper (2mg) which each contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, while zinc also contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
Where to buy MacuShield.