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Nutrition has long been recognized as crucial to top athletes' training programs. A recent study by researchers from the University of Georgia (UGA) has shed light on an intriguing link between diet and visual range enhancement in athletes.
According to the study, incorporating fruits and vegetables rich in lutein and zeaxanthin into an athlete's diet may improve visual range, significantly benefiting their performance in sports. Published in the journal Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, the paper delves into the role of macular pigments, which are plant compounds that accumulate in the retina.
These pigments, particularly lutein, and zeaxanthin, promote eye health and functional vision. Previous research by UGA's Billy R. Hammond and Lisa Renzi-Hammond has already demonstrated that consuming foods like dark leafy greens and yellow/orange vegetables, abundant in lutein and zeaxanthin, can enhance eye and brain health.
Lead author Jack Harth, a doctoral candidate in UGA's College of Public Health, highlighted the multifaceted benefits of these plant pigments. While past studies mainly focused on the health advantages, Harth's team emphasized their potential to improve vision at far distances, a critical asset for top-performing athletes across various sports.
Enhancing Visual Clarity: Filtering Blue Light
The reduced visibility and increased fuzziness of objects at greater distances is partially attributed to blue light effects. For instance, a center fielder tracking a ball in the air would encounter atmospheric interference from bright blue skies or gray backgrounds on cloudy days.
Athletes often resort to eye black or blue blocker sunglasses to combat this issue. However, Harth revealed that a higher intake of lutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods could naturally enhance the eye's ability to handle blue light exposure.
When absorbed, these compounds accumulate as yellow pigments in the retina, effectively filtering out harmful blue light. Harth's team built upon previous studies from the 1980s, which examined the visual rangeability of pilots, and subsequent work by Hammond and Renzi-Hammond on macular pigment density and its impact on eye health and functional vision.
The researchers concluded that increased levels of lutein and zeaxanthin were associated with reduced glare disability and discomfort, improved visual-motor reaction time, and enhanced executive functions like problem-solving and memory - all essential skills for athletes.
The study's implications could be far-reaching for athletic performance. The researchers hope to conduct further investigations outdoors, evaluating visual range capabilities in real blue haze and various environmental conditions.
Despite the promising findings, Harth advises caution, as individual variations in the absorption and utilization of lutein and zeaxanthin may influence the degree of improvement, which may also take time to manifest. Nevertheless, the overall health benefits associated with consuming these plant pigments provide ample reason to incorporate more colorful fruits and vegetables into athletes' diets.
With evidence mounting on the positive impact of lutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods on visual range and performance, athletes may find themselves reaching for a plate filled with nature's vibrant palette to gain that extra competitive edge.
