People mainly take Lutein for skin & hair. Based on 18 first-hand reports and 101 meta-analyses & systematic reviews in the medical literature. Ranked #421 of 1,974 overall.
Of reports that state an outcome, 50% are positive.
Of the people who reported each effect, the share who said it got better.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, with their published conclusions.
3+ meta-analyses or systematic reviews and 10+ randomized controlled trials in humans. The grade measures how much human research exists — read the conclusions below for what it found.
Conclusion: Supplementation with photoprotective active ingredients may be especially favorable for individuals with predisposed ultraviolet sensitivity, such as those with polymorphic light eruption. Future research is necessary to determine optimal dosing and supplementation duration for intended photoprotective outcomes.
PubMed 39804624 ↗Conclusion: Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplementation (AREDS: vitamin C, E, beta-carotene, and zinc) probably slows down progression to late AMD. People with intermediate AMD have a higher chance of benefiting from antioxidant supplements because their risk of progression is higher than people with early AMD. Although low-certainty evidence suggested little effect with lutein/zeaxanthin alone compared with placebo, exploratory subgroup analyses from one large American study support the view that lutein/zeaxanthin may be a suitable replacement for the beta-ca
PubMed 37702300 ↗Conclusion: Our findings suggest limited evidence for the significantly inverse association between the prediagnosis dietary intake of β-carotene and OS among women with breast cancer. However, the intake of other vitamin A derivatives was not significantly associated with survival.
PubMed 30190194 ↗Conclusion: Of six major members of carotenoids, only lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations in plasma/serum were inversely related to the risk of AD. More high-quality longitudinal studies are needed to verify these findings.
PubMed 34151808 ↗As stated by users — not a recommendation. Follow the label or your doctor.
How often each side effect came up across all reports.
Verbatim quotes, shortened only — each links to the original discussion.
“Fish oil, lutien and a multivitamin”
“you could try adding in some polyphenols into your regimine, like berberine or lutein, to try and inhibit some inflammation”
“Lutein, 25mg”
“Lutein”
“lutein concentrating above plasma levels in the brain...reduce oxidation of cholesterol, macular degeneration”
User data from public discussions; research from PubMed. Information only, not medical advice — talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. Data updated October 2, 2026. How we rate