Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, presented new clinical research at the 2025 annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in May. The study suggested that FloraGLO® Lutein supplementation at a dosage of 5 mg in healthy adolescents can boost macular pigment (MP) levels, potentially helping protect their eyes from digital strain due to screen time.
Higher MP levels correspond to higher levels of lutein in the eye and brain. Lutein has been shown to support both eye and brain health in adults. However, there are no studies to date that have examined the benefits of giving lutein to adolescents, nor have any studies explored the benefits of lutein in children at a dose as low as 5 mg. Recognising this gap, Kemin continues to build on its 30-year legacy of nutritional carotenoid research and innovation by supporting the exploration of the impact of lutein in healthy younger populations.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 59 healthy children aged 8 to 16 with ≥4 hours of daily screen time. Participants took either 5 mg of FloraGLO Lutein, containing 225 µg of natural zeaxanthin, or placebo gummies daily for 6 months. Macular pigment was assessed using two non-invasive techniques: heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) (Quantifeye MPS II) for peak macular pigment optical density and Haidinger’s Brush degree of polarisation detection (HB) (MPEye) for MP volume. Assessments were performed on days 0, 90, and 180.
The HB method revealed a significant treatment effect of FloraGLO Lutein supplementation compared to placebo. A 14% increase in MP density compared to placebo demonstrated that FloraGLO Lutein supplementation effectively enhanced MP levels in the adolescent retina, potentially helping protect the eyes from screen-related digital strain. The HFP method showed only a 0.5% increase in the lutein group compared to placebo, suggesting that MP accumulation in pre-teens and adolescents may differ from the patterns observed in adulthood.
"This study underscores a powerful insight: just 5 mg of lutein a day—roughly the amount found in ¼ cup of cooked spinach—can meaningfully support eye health in pre-teens and teens exposed to digital screens all day long," said Dr. Brenda Fonseca, Senior Scientist at Kemin Human Nutrition and Health and Principal Investigator of the study. "That’s a small nutritional change with potentially big implications—especially considering most kids aren’t coming close to that intake level on a daily basis. As screen time continues to climb, we’re encouraged to see that targeted nutrition like this could help counteract some of the strain today’s digital lifestyles are placing on young eyes."
Pre-teens and teens are constantly exposed to screens and do not eat enough nutrient-rich food, which can lead to long-term eye damage. This study demonstrates that even at a low dosage, FloraGLO Lutein can support the eye health of adolescents, making it an ideal choice to fill the nutrient gap. Derived from marigold flowers and backed by 115 human clinical publications, FloraGLO continues to be ‘Science-backed, not borrowed. All Ages. All Stages.’
Kemin Human Nutrition and Health specialises in delivering transformative, upgraded nutritional solutions that redefine market expectations by blending science, innovation, and curiosity for a positive health journey. The full abstract will be released at the end of July. Click here to request a copy upon release.
