Zeaxanthin

Studies in people

• Open question

  Vision loss in older adults¹

  In people at risk of vision loss, taking zeaxanthin with lutein did not clearly slow the disease.

• No harm found

  Lung cancer risk²

  In people, zeaxanthin did not raise lung cancer risk, unlike beta carotene, which nearly doubled it.

• Benefit

  Heart artery health³

  In people, zeaxanthin with lutein and meso-zeaxanthin lowered blood markers of inflammation and oxidized fats linked to artery plaque.

• Benefit

  Dry eye symptoms⁴

  In people, taking zeaxanthin with lutein and elderberry for 20 days improved dry eye symptom scores.

• Benefit

  Eye-hand coordination⁵

  In people who work at screens, a mix with zeaxanthin helped keep eye-hand coordination from slipping after screen work.

• Benefit

  Children's eye and brain health⁶

  In children, zeaxanthin gummies with lutein improved eye strain, focus and memory over six months.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Body fat and obesity¹⁰

  In animal studies, zeaxanthin reduced body fat and improved blood fat levels in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Eye health⁷

  Zeaxanthin is a plant pigment that builds up in the eye and may help slow eye diseases like macular degeneration.

• Open question

  Antioxidant dietary needs⁸

  In plants and humans, zeaxanthin's protective roles differ, and how much is best to eat is still unknown.

• Benefit

  Eye health and vision⁹

  Zeaxanthin is thought to help protect eyes from light damage, but scientists do not yet know all the answers.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.