A trial found reductions in cholesterol and other markers of metabolic risk among people with central (abdominal) obesity who were given lutein, a pigment that occurs in vegetables, fruits and egg yolk. Central obesity is a component of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of factors that increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The trial included 94 Chinese men and women with central obesity, which was defined as a waist circumference of 90 centimeters (35.5 inches) or greater in men and 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) or more in women, based on criteria specific to Chinese men and women from the International Diabetes Federation. Forty-seven participants received 10 milligrams per day of lutein, and 47 were given a placebo for 32 weeks.

At the end of the trial, diastolic blood pressure, total and LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B (which, when high, is a marker of increased cardiovascular disease risk) and malondialdehyde (a marker of damaging oxidative stress) significantly declined among participants who received lutein compared with the placebo group. The group who received lutein also showed a significant increase in plasma lutein as well as a decline in plasma advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). AGEs are indicators of elevated glucose and are associated with signs of aging. These findings suggest that lutein may help protect against cardiovascular disease and other conditions related to obesity.

"Previous research suggests that the average adult consumes approximately 2 mg of lutein daily, a level likely insufficient to achieve its potential health benefits,” authors Juan Zhou and colleagues noted.

"Regular lutein intake can improve metabolic health in adults with central obesity by increasing plasma lutein concentrations, reducing oxidative stress, lowering plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B levels, and downregulating AGEs," they concluded.

The trial findings were reported in the March 7, 2025, issue of Food & Function.¹