Accelerated growth in demand for eye care Lutein market continues to expand

Lutein is an oxygenated carotenoid with 40 carbon atoms in long chains and multiple conjugated double bonds, which is highly reductive and has significant antioxidant activity. Lutein contains up to 8 isomers, and its structure is not symmetrical, so it is difficult to synthesize chemically, and can only be extracted from natural plants, which are more common in various vegetables, fruits and algae. Lutein is widely distributed in human body, and can be detected in liver, eyes, serum and other tissues, with the highest content in the macular region of the retina of the eye, which can prevent retinal cell photodamage.

In 2006, China's Food Additive Standardization Technical Committee reviewed and approved the inclusion of lutein in the food additive use health standards. Studies have found that lutein and zeaxanthin often coexist in a plant, for example, marigold contains carotenoids, lutein nearly 79%, zeaxanthin is about 20%. Lutein in fruits and vegetables mostly exists in the form of fatty acid esterification such as lauric acid and myristic acid, for example, free lutein and lutein esters are predominant in marigold, and there are eight types of lutein esters. Some scholars have analyzed the total carotenoid content in Marigold samples and found that it can reach 1 mg/g fresh weight, and the carotenoid composition in Marigold flowers is very complex, including lutein, lutein esters, zeaxanthin, etc., among which lutein esters have the highest content.

From the point of view of lutein extraction, foreign countries mostly choose marigold extraction, because its lutein content is the highest; while China's raw materials are limited, mainly marigold. 1990s, China began to plant a large number of marigold, in 2004 showed a rapid development momentum, in 2010 lutein infusion reached 2500 tons. Medical science confirms that both lutein and lutein ester can be absorbed by human body, but lutein ester needs to be hydrolyzed into free state lutein by lipase action before entering blood.

It was found that the intake of lutein as a dietary supplement, 2.4 mg per person per day for six months, could increase the lutein content in blood by 130%, and at the same time, the subjects were tested for macular density in the eyes and found to increase by 14%; if the daily intake was increased to 30 mg for five months, the subjects were tested for macular lutein in the eyes and the content could increase by 20% -40%.

In a clinical study of lutein supplementation in patients aged 60-81 years with age-related retinal plaque lesions at the University of Manchester Eye and Neuroscience Research Centre in the UK, after 15 weeks of lutein supplementation, there was a significant increase in the pigment content of the retinal macula, repairing damaged retinal tissue. The study showed that lutein supplementation had a significant improvement in age-related retinal macular degeneration, at least in the early stages. The Eye Disease Research Control Consortium (EDCC), by studying 421 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 615 disease-free groups, concluded that the risk of AMD was significantly reduced in groups with high serum carotenoid concentrations. This is because lutein and zeaxanthin carotenoids have the same ability to protect against cell and organ damage caused by free radicals in the body, thus preventing cardiovascular sclerosis coronary heart disease and tumor disease caused by aging of the muscle.

In conclusion, AMD is generally prone to occur in people over 40 years of age. According to the survey and analysis of brown spot lesion group, besides age and genetic factors, it is also related to the intake of antioxidants in food, sunlight stimulation, smoking and gender. And lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important components of eye spot pigment, exist in the middle of the pigmentation, thus protecting the retina of the eye from being damaged. They are also antioxidants of the retina to protect the eye cells from oxidative damage.

A large number of research studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin in carotenoids, in addition to their general antioxidant activity, have a protective effect against age-related macular degeneration, which leads to vision loss. Foreign countries have been used in functional foods in bulk. China Agricultural University, Beijing University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and other universities in China have carried out the development of high-purity lutein, the purity of lutein can reach more than 95%.

Lutein demand is quite high

The "2022 Micro Wellness Concept Snacks Market Insight" shows that consumers' demand for eye care and relief of visual fatigue has always existed. In addition to external eye care products such as steam eye masks and ice eye masks, lutein is the most popular ingredient in internal eye care products. In the past two years, lutein in the health food market continues to be hot, data show that from January to July 2022, Tmall Taobao in the name of health food containing "lutein" sales reached 435 million yuan, sales increased 126.08% year-on-year.

In recent years, the sales of children's lutein products have grown significantly. Shanxi Provincial Hospital of Integrative Medicine doctor Zhang Sufeng said, lutein itself is a very good antioxidant ingredients, in some drugs also contains lutein. Lutein's eye care effect is good because it is the main pigment of the retina and macula, and if there is a lack of it there is a risk of eye discomfort, so this nutrient has some importance.