EverGreen Eye Health 120 caps

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Eye Health:

Astaxanthin:  Astaxanthin is the most powerful nutrient ever discovered for eye health. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid that is produced by the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. Astaxanthin is leaps and bounds more powerful than beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene, and lutein–other members of its chemical family. Astaxanthin exhibits VERY STRONG free radical scavenging activity, and protects your cells, organs, and body tissues from oxidative damage.  Astaxanthin greatly protects your eyes from cataracts, macular degeneration, and blindness.

Zeaxanthin and Lutein:  Of all the carotenoids, only zeaxanthin and lutein are found in your retina of your eyes, which has the highest concentration of fatty acids of any tissue in your body. This is because your retina is a highly light and oxygen rich environment, and it needs a large force of free radical scavengers to prevent oxidative damage there.  Lutein and Zeaxanthin appear to absorb excess light energy to prevent damage to plants from too much sunlight, especially from high-energy light rays called blue light. They work in a similar protective manner in the human eye.  By helping to filter this harmful blue light, lutein and zeaxanthin supports the macular health of the eye.  And this is critical to vision.

A number of studies have found that lutein and zeaxanthin either help prevent macular degeneration or may slow progression of the disease.

Zeaxanthin is the strongest antioxidant carotenoid found in your retina. The average American only gets 0.2 to 2 mg of zeaxanthin per day, depending on the amount and mix of vegetables and fruits in their diet. Studies show that your eyes need more zeaxanthin on a daily basis. Unfortunately, zeaxanthin can’t be made by your body, so it must be supplemented as part of your diet. EverGreen’s formula has 4mg!

Black Current Extract and Bilberry Extract: Black Current and Bilberry are berries found in nature that have been found to be very protective of our eyes including eye fatigue. They both contain high levels of anthocyanins, the bioflavonoid complex found in these berries. Anthocyanins provide many benefits to the eyes. These highly colored plant pigments nourish the retina. Night vision depends on the retina’s ability to constantly regenerate visual purple (rhodopsin), and anthocyanins serve as “building blocks” for this important substance. Tests have confirmed these benefits. When subjects with normal vision supplemented with either black currant or bilberry extract, it was found the acuity of their nighttime vision improved, as did the speed at which they adjusted to darkness and the rate at which they recovered from blinding glare. However, it is important to bear in mind that positive results in trials required the ingestion of 50 mg or more per day of anthocyanins.  EverGreen Vitamin’s Eye Health contains this dosage.

Black currant extracts shows promise for treatment of glaucoma. In a 2012 study published in Ophthalmologica, for instance, researchers found that consuming black-currant-sourced anthocyanins, in combination with antiglaucoma medication, may benefit people with open-angle glaucoma.

For the study, patients with open-angle glaucoma consumed either black currant anthocyanins or a placebo once daily for two years. Throughout the study period, all participants were also treated with antiglaucoma drops. Results revealed that patients treated with black currant anthocyanins experienced a significantly greater increase in ocular blood flow compared to those treated with the placebo.

N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC):  NAC is a powerful amino acid antioxidant with many protective benefits to the body.  For the eyes, NAC has been shown to diminish inflammatory activity in the eye to impede deterioration. Furthermore, NAC has shown to improve the function of lysosomal proteins, enzymes that discard oxidative byproducts, in the retina to prevent visual ailments.

NAC has been observed as an aid in lubricationg dry eyes.  In a study it outperformed products that supply artificial tears.

Zinc:   Zinc is a trace mineral antioxidant believed to be important for vision because high levels of the mineral are found in the macula, part of the retina. Zinc enables vitamin A to create a pigment called melanin, which protects the eye. Some studies show that getting enough zinc can help you see better at night.

Beta Carotene:
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid. Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments found in plants, and are largely responsible for the vibrant colors of some fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene, for example, is responsible for giving carrots their orange color. Once ingested, beta-carotene is either converted into vitamin A (retinol), which the body can use in a variety of ways, or it acts as an antioxidant to help protect cells from the damaging effects of harmful free radicals. As much as 50 percent of vitamin A in a typical diet is provided by beta-carotene and other carotenoids.

A small number of carotenes, including beta-carotene, are often called “provitamin A” because they are a precursor to production of vitamin A in the body. The carotenes lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin cannot be converted into vitamin A, though they provide other health benefits.

Beta-carotene is considered an antioxidant and is also a precursor to vitamin A. This compound helps maintain healthy skin and also plays a vital role in eye health. Individuals who consume the necessary levels of beta-carotene can lower their risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, macular degeneration, and other age-related diseases.