Understanding Blue Light: Negative Effects & Benefits of Lutemax

Are you concerned about the screen time blues? Consumers are likely worried about their screen time and seeking blue light protection. With the prevalence of blue light exposure in today’s modern world, your brand can help the growing number of people concerned about blue light and eye health with our high-quality, clinically backed, proprietary lutein and zeaxanthin supplement, Lutemax 2020.

What is Blue Light?

Modern LED lights illuminate most electronic devices and produce a high concentration of blue light. Blue light has shorter wavelengths and greater energy than other colors, allowing it to penetrate the eye through the cornea and lens, reaching all the way to the retina at the back of the eye. Over time, this may cause damage to the retinal cells. Blue light exposure from electronic devices like tablets, smartphones, and computer screens may compromise several aspects of health including on anything from sleep quality to long-term eye health. The average U.S. adult will spend about 44 years looking at a screen. That looks like a total of 17 hours and 9 minutes daily using digital devices. And, with the advent of LED technology, digital devices produce more blue light than other colors.

What are the Negative Effects of Blue Light?

Blue light’s adverse effects can be divided into short-term and long-term effects. Here are the short-term effects. You are likely quite familiar with these short-term side effects if, like most people, you use a screen regularly without measures in place to protect against  blue light.

• Eye strain and fatigue are caused by overexposure to blue light. This can result in eyes that feel tired and heavy. It can feel like it’s difficult to see.
• Headaches can come from excessive use of screens and blue light. These are usually mild and can be located anywhere from the forehead or temples to the back of the neck.
• Blue light can cause blurry vision, which can be troublesome when working on a computer.
• Neck pain can also be caused by blue light. This can be anything from soreness to sharp or stabbing sensations.

While the short-term effects of blue light are annoying, the long-term effects are especially troublesome.

• Your retinal cells undergo small, almost imperceptible changes as you are exposed to blue light over time.
• Blue light increases the number of free radicals in your eye, causing retinal damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cell damage, the most common form of retinal damage.
• Long-term blue light exposure also increases the risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). 

 

Can Lutemax 2020 Provide Blue Light Protection?

Lutemax 2020 is a patented extract of all three macular carotenoids— lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin. These carotenoids, or plant-based (phyto) nutrients, are potent antioxidants that may help limit the effects of free radicals like the ones caused by blue light exposure. This protects the eyes, especially the retina, from degradation.
Lutein, RR-zeaxanthin, and RS (meso)-zeaxanthin are naturally found in high concentrations in the eye’s macula. They are preferentially deposited in the eye; lutein is found more abundantly deposited in the edge of the retina and in the rods of the eye, while the zeaxanthin isomers tends to settle in the retina’s center. They all work to help filter blue light from not only digital devices but also the rays of the sun.
The full range of Lutemax ingredients are sourced from sustainably farmed marigolds. Lutemax 2020 delivers lutein and zeaxanthin isomers in a similar 5:1 ratio as found in the diet. Our marigolds are grown by our farmer partners using non-GMO seeds to produce a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin.

What Benefits can Lutemax 2020 Provide for Eye Health?

Lutemax 2020 is a clinically studied ingredient made for supplements as well as functional foods and beverages and has been shown to offer the following benefits for eye health. In a clinical trial with young, healthy adults, significant improvements in the outcomes linked with prolonged blue light exposure were seen with a daily dose of 24 mg of Lutemax 2020 (Lutein 20 mg and zeaxanthin 4 mg) .

Here are some clinically studied benefits of Lutemax 2020:1. Protection from the effects of excessive blue light exposure as a result of digital device use.

• Lutein and zeaxanthin helps protect the eyes from blue light exposure. This  may help reduce the short-term side effects of blue light, including headaches, and blurry vision. 
• Delivers all three macular carotenoids which at efficacious doses have been linked to a reduced risk of developing AMD. Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation has been clinically shown to help maintain eye health and are associated with reduced risk of AMD. 
• Helps improve sleep quality. Studies also show that lutein and zeaxanthin help support sleep which may be disrupted by excessive blue light exposure.
• Helps promote cognitive health and mental performance. Lutein and zeaxanthin have also been shown to support  cognitive function through their antioxidant activity in the brain. 

You can use Lutemax 2020 in a variety of ways. It is available in oil suspensions and as a 100% vegetarian beadlet. Our Versabead technology increases stability and dispersibility and is a microencapsulated beadlet that creates uniform particles, increasing the active ingredient payload. We use a protective coating of antioxidants that stabilize the active ingredients of Lutemax 2020 and protect them from oxidation. Versabeads easily break down after eating and also dissolves well in water. This makes Lutemax 2020 well-suited for many supplement applications, including foods, gummies, bars, RTD beverages, and powdered drinks. To request an analytical or delicious application sample or start formulating, please reach out to us today.