QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bowen, P. E. Articles by Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bowen, P. E. Articles by Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, M.

---

Human Nutrition and Metabolism

Esterification Does Not Impair Lutein Bioavailability in Humans¹

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

²To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pbowen{at}uic.edu.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is inversely associated with the accumulation of lutein + zeaxanthin in the macula, but higher lutein intakes are inconsistently related to reduced risk of ARMD in epidemiologic studies. Resolution of efficacy awaits clinical trials designed with knowledge of lutein supplement pharmacokinetics. Lutein bioavailability was determined for lutein diester and unesterified lutein formulations as they might be incorporated into dietary supplements. Healthy subjects (n = 18) consumed a single dose of each formulation (either 0.5 or 0.67 µmol lutein/kg body, 10 and 8 subjects, respectively) in random order, and the appearance of free lutein + zeaxanthin was measured in serum from 0 to 408 h. Areas under the serum concentration x time curves (AUC), as a measure of bioavailability, were independent of gender, body mass index and lutein dose. The lutein diester formulation was 61.6% more bioavailable than the unesterified lutein formulation with higher mean AUC, maximum serum concentration and ascending slope (P < 0.05). The AUC was greater in 14 of 18 subjects when they consumed the lutein diester formulation. Comparison with data from previous studies suggested that dissolution was a greater limitation to bioavailability than lutein ester hydrolysis because an oil-solubilized unesterified lutein preparation, given at 0.5 µmol/kg body, resulted in greater mean peak concentrations and AUC compared with either the unesterified or lutein diester formulations used in our study. In conclusion, the lutein diester formulation poses no impediment to lutein bioavailability at the doses tested, but formulation dissolution is an important factor in lutein bioavailability and should be evaluated before a supplement and dose are selected for use in clinical trials.

KEY WORDS: • lutein • lutein ester • bioavailability • humans

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. A Mares, T. L LaRowe, D M. Snodderly, S. M Moeller, M. J Gruber, M. L Klein, B. R Wooten, E. J Johnson, R. J Chappell, and for the CAREDS Macular Pigment Study Group and Inv Predictors of optical density of lutein and zeaxanthin in retinas of older women in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study, an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2006; 84(5): 1107 - 1122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Djuric, J. Ren, O. Mekhovich, R. Venkatranamoorthy, and L. K. Heilbrun Effects of High Fruit-Vegetable and/or Low-Fat Intervention on Plasma Micronutrient Levels J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June 1, 2006; 25(3): 178 - 187. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Chitchumroonchokchai and M. L. Failla Hydrolysis of Zeaxanthin Esters by Carboxyl Ester Lipase during Digestion Facilitates Micellarization and Uptake of the Xanthophyll by Caco-2 Human Intestinal Cells J. Nutr., March 1, 2006; 136(3): 588 - 594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A Thurmann, W. Schalch, J.-C. Aebischer, U. Tenter, and W. Cohn Plasma kinetics of lutein, zeaxanthin, and 3-dehydro-lutein after multiple oral doses of a lutein supplement Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, July 1, 2005; 82(1): 88 - 97. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. T. Jones, K. J. Aryana, and J. N. Losso Storage Stability of Lutein During Ripening of Cheddar Cheese J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2005; 88(5): 1661 - 1670. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Z. Unlu, T. Bohn, S. K. Clinton, and S. J. Schwartz Carotenoid Absorption from Salad and Salsa by Humans Is Enhanced by the Addition of Avocado or Avocado Oil J. Nutr., March 1, 2005; 135(3): 431 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H.-Y. Chung, H. M. Rasmussen, and E. J. Johnson Lutein Bioavailability Is Higher from Lutein-Enriched Eggs than from Supplements and Spinach in Men J. Nutr., August 1, 2004; 134(8): 1887 - 1893. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Hartmann, P. A Thurmann, V. Spitzer, W. Schalch, B. Manner, and W. Cohn Plasma kinetics of zeaxanthin and 3'-dehydro-lutein after multiple oral doses of synthetic zeaxanthin Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2004; 79(3): 410 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Diwadkar-Navsariwala, J. A. Novotny, D. M. Gustin, J. A. Sosman, K. A. Rodvold, J. A. Crowell, M. Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, and P. E. Bowen A physiological pharmacokinetic model describing the disposition of lycopene in healthy men J. Lipid Res., October 1, 2003; 44(10): 1927 - 1939. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Nelson, P. S. Bernstein, M. C. Schmidt, M. S. Von Tress, and E. W. Askew Dietary Modification and Moderate Antioxidant Supplementation Differentially Affect Serum Carotenoids, Antioxidant Levels and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Older Humans J. Nutr., October 1, 2003; 133(10): 3117 - 3123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]