Visulyn Supplement Facts

Daily Dosage: As a dietary supplement, take one capsule in the morning and with 8 ounces of water. 45-60 days of continuous use is necessary for optimum results.

Visulyn Research:

Lutein-Research suggests that macular pigments like lutein and zeaxanthin are derived entirely from the diet. Generally, these pigments are depleted with age, and the two main risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) are related to the absence of macular pigments (1).

However, patients with early age-related maculopathy who took lutein for 18-20 weeks showed a significant increase in macular pigment optical density, indicating the diseased macula has the ability to accumulate pigment (2). A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of supplementation with lutein alone or in combination with other nutrients showed that lutein has the ability to improve visual function in subjects with ARMD (3).

Zeaxanthin- An essential macular pigment, zeaxanthin levels are inversely associated with ARMD (4). Zeaxanthin appears to protect photoreceptors in the retina against light-induced damage in animal models (5). Observational evidence indicates that generous intakes of zeaxanthin and lutein can reduce the risk of ARMD by up to 40% (6).

Lipoic acid- Displaying potent antioxidant activity, lipoic acid can protect against free radical damage to the retinal pigment cells from UV light exposure (7). Lipoic acid can also modulate mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting there are multiple mechanisms of action in preventing ARMD (8).

Selenium- Levels of antioxidants like selenium are often significantly reduced in patients with ARMD (9). High dose selenium has been shown to slow the progression of ARMD and researchers suggest it may be through reducing VEGF production in the retina (10).

Taurine- Visual function is highly dependent on taurine, and deficiency causes abnormalities in the retinal area of the eye (13). ARMD may be related to detrimental changes in taurine transport into the retina, which could be altered with higher levels of taurine (14).

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - Key in preventing ocular atherosclerosis, bilberry exerts protective effects specifically to the blood vessels of the eye. Compounds in bilberry possess strong antioxidant effects, which in animals have been shown to prevent impairments to the retina, like those of ARMD (15,16).

Grape seed extract- Also exerting protective antioxidant effects, compounds in grape seed extract can prevent debilitating eye conditions like cataracts (17). Research shows that acute and long-term administration of grape seed extract is safe and does not induce any detrimental effects on organs or blood chemistry (18).


Gingko (Gingko biloba)- Gingko may be beneficial in ARMD due to several mechanisms such as increased blood flow, platelet-activating factor antagonism, and prevention of membrane damage caused by free radicals (19).

A double-blind, controlled trial conducted in patients with senile, dry macular degeneration who were given an extract of ginkgo for 24 weeks showed improved visual acuity (20).

Warning: If you use anticoagulants, do not use ginkgo without close monitoring by your healthcare provider.

References:

1. Beatty S et al. Macular pigment and risk for age-related macular degeneration in subjects from a Northern European population. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2001 Feb;42(2):439-46.

2. Koh HH et al. Plasma and macular responses to lutein supplement in subjects with and without age-related maculopathy: a pilot study. Exp Eye Res 2004 Jul;79(1):21-7.

3. Richer S et al. Double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lutein and antioxidant supplementation in the intervention of atrophic age-related macular degeneration: the Veterans LAST study (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial). Optometry 2004 Apr;75(4):216-30.

4. Krinsky NI, Landrum JT, Bone RA. Biologic mechanisms of the protective role of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye. Annu Rev Nutr 2003;23:171-201. Epub 2003 Feb 27.

5. Thomson LR et al. Elevated retinal zeaxanthin and prevention of light-induced photoreceptor cell death in quail. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002 Nov;43(11):3538-49.

6. Moeller SM, Jacques PF, Blumberg JB. The potential role of dietary xanthophylls in cataract and age-related macular degeneration. J Am Coll Nutr 2000 Oct;19(5 Suppl):522S-527S.

7. Demir U, Demir T, Ilhan N. The protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid against oxidative damage in rabbit conjunctiva and cornea exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Ophthalmologica 2005 Jan-Feb;219(1):49-53.

8. Voloboueva LA et al. (R)-alpha-lipoic acid protects retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative damage. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2005 Nov;46(11):4302-10.

9. Mayer MJ et al. Whole blood selenium in exudative age-related maculopathy. Acta Ophthamol Scand 1998 Feb;76(1):62-7.

10. McCarty MF. The putative therapeutic value of high-dose selenium in proliferative retinopathies may reflect down-regulation of VEGF production by the hypoxic retina. Med Hypotheses 2005;64(1):159-61.

13. Imaki H et al. Retinal morphology and visual pigment levels in 6- and 12-month-old rhesus monkeys fed a taurine-free human infant formula. Neurosci Res 1993 Oct 15;36(3):290-304.

14. Hillenkamp J et al. Compartmental analysis of taurine transport to the outer retina in the bovine eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2004 Nov;45(11):4099-105.

15. Fursova AZh et al. [Dietary supplementation with bilberry extract prevents macular degeneration and cataracts in senesce-accelerated OXYS rats] Adv Gerontol 2005;16:76-9.

16. Sparrow JR et al. A2E-epoxides damage DNA in retinal pigment epithelial cells. Vitamin E and other antioxidants inhibit A2E-epoxide formation. J Biol Chem 2003 May 16;278(20):18207-13. Epub 2003 Mar 19.

17. Yamakoshi J et al. Procyanidin-rich extract from grape seeds prevents cataract formation in hereditary cataractous (ICR/f) rats. J Agric Food Chem 2002 Aug 14;50(17):4983-8.

18. Ray S et al. Acute and long-term safety evaluation of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol 2001 Mar-Apr;109(3-4):165-97.

19. Evans JR. Ginkgo biloba extract for age-related macular degeneration. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000;(2):CD001775.

20. Fies P, Deniel A. [Ginkgo extract in impaired vision--treatment with special extract EGb 761 of impaired vision due to dry senile macular degeneration] Wien Med Wochenschr 2002;152(15-16):423-6.