New research shows that eggs are a highly bioavailable source of lutein, a carotenoid important for eye and skin health.
"Studies indicate that lutein can help protect against diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts, as well as lowering risk for some forms of cancer and heart disease," said Elizabeth J. Johnson, Ph.D., the study's lead author. The study published in the August 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition compared the bioavailability of lutein from various sources, in order to determine how it can impact dietary recommendations. Highly bioavailable forms of nutrients are those that the body can most easily absorb and utilize.
Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University provided participants with either a lutein supplement, a lutein ester supplement, spinach or lutein-enriched eggs, in random order. Each source of lutein provided the participants with approximately 6 milligrams (mg) lutein per day. Dr. Johnson and colleagues collected blood samples from fasting participants 2 weeks prior to the study, to determine basal levels of carotenoids, and before and after each 9 day test phase to analyze changes in lutein concentration.