Kemin’s FloraGlo lutein tackles adolescent screen time eye strain, study shows

Clinical research suggests that supplementing with Kemin Industries’ FloraGlo Lutein ingredient at a dosage of 5 mg in healthy adolescents can boost macular pigment levels, potentially helping shield their eyes from digital strain due to screen time.

Higher macular pigment levels correspond to higher levels of lutein in the eye and brain, notes the supplier. Lutein has been shown to support eye and brain health in adults, and Kemin’s is derived from marigold flowers.

However, the company highlights that no studies to date have examined the benefits of giving lutein to adolescents, or explored the benefits of lutein in children at a dose as low as 5 mg.

“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,” says 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.”

Low-dose efficacy

Backed by 115 human clinical publications, FloraGlo builds on three decades of nutritional carotenoid research and innovation at Kemin Industries.

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, highlights the company. “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.”

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 59 healthy children aged eight to 16 with four hours of daily screen time. Participants took either 5 mg of FloraGlo Lutein, containing 225 µg of natural zeaxanthin, or placebo gummies daily for six 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 polarization detection (HB) for macular pigment volume. Assessments were performed on days zero, 90, and 180.

The HB method revealed a “significant” treatment effect of FloraGlo Lutein supplementation compared to placebo. A 14% increase in macular pigment density compared to placebo demonstrated this.

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.The paper reveals FloraGlo Lutein supplementation “effectively enhanced” macular pigment 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 macular pigment accumulation in pre-teens and adolescents may differ from the patterns observed in adulthood.

Kemin Industries presented the clinical findings at the 2025 annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology last month.

Science of sight

In other developments, the US FDA recognized OmniActive Health Technologies’ Lutemax Free Lutein for its use in infant formula earlier this month. This GRAS (generally recognized as safe) clearance allows the inclusion of the botanical ingredients specialist’s flagship lutein ingredient in the highly regulated early-life nutrition category.

Market research by Innova Market Insights indicates a +3% average annual growth in supplements for eye health from 2020–2024. The fastest-growing ingredients were zinc bis-glycinate (39% CAGR), alpha-tocopherol (38%), and acerola (33%).

Nutrition Insight previously spoke to AstaReal and Unibar Corporation to learn about what’s new in science-backed vision health ingredients, such as patented carotenoids, while diving into the latest market trends.