A study by the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland (NRCI), sponsored by the Howard Foundation together with IOSA and WIT, has identified a new formulation that can greatly increase the efficacy of nutritional supplements that are increasingly recognised for their value to eye health.
The study was led by Dr Marina Green-Gomez and supervised by Professor John Nolan, the Howard Chair in Human Nutrition at WIT.
Titled COAST (Carotenoid-Omega Availability STudy), the research compared bioavailability of key carotenoids when they were taken as microcrystals suspended in sunflower or omega-3 oil with a new method of delivery. In the innovative Micro-Micelle formulation, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin travelled more efficiently into the bloodstream, increasing the bioavailability and impact of these carotenoids.
The results of the study have been published in Swiss-based, peer-reviewed, open access journal Antioxidants: The Impact of Formulation on Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and meso-Zeaxanthin Bioavailability: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.
The new formulation is being commercialised in the U.S. by MacuHealth and in Europe by MacuPrime.