How do you relieve eye strain
How do you relieve eye strain?
Tingling sensation in your eyes and headaches? Struggling to keep your eyes open? Eye strain is a common condition caused by intense focusing of the eyes during a task, such as during prolonged exposure to digital devices. This condition has become increasingly common since COVID-19, a period during which our reliance on phones and laptops has grown significantly. In this article, we will explore what eye strain is and provide practical steps to help prevent it.
What is eye strain? Causes and symptoms
Also known as Asthenopia, eye strain is linked to physical fatigue of the eye. It occurs when your eyes get tired from intense focus, such as while driving, reading for hours or staring at a screen.
Several distinct causes can lead to eye strain. But nowadays, most of the oxidative stress leading to eye fatigue is caused by prolonged exposure to screens as the radiated blue light can induce photoreceptor damage (1, 2, 3). Common symptoms are:
- Irritated or dry eyes
- Blurring of vision
- Headaches or sensibility to light
- Body pain, neck or shoulder pain.
Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce eye strain.
Practical tips to prevent eye strain
Whether in the form of energy drinks or supplements, consumption of caffeine seems to be the first option for people who want to avoid fatigue.
While caffeine can indeed make you feel more awake and energetic, it’s essential to be aware that its consumption can also lead to adverse effects, including heightened stress, anxiety, or tachycardia (4). It is advisable to reduce caffeine consumption and to explore these alternatives:
• Adapted equipment
To enhance your comfort, ensure you properly adjust screen settings like brightness and contrast on your digital devices. 60 to 70% contrast and brightness are usually recommended for reduced eye strain. The use of anti-blue light glasses or anti-blue light filters for screens is also recommended (5).
• Yoga ocular exercises
Practicing eye yoga is a good way of providing effective relief for your eyes and minimize eye fatigue symptoms by increasing the efficiency of extraocular muscles (6). Here is a simple exercise: sweep your eyes from left to right and then up and down, always going as far as you can. Do this exercise for a couple of minutes twice a day.
• Artificial tears
Using non-prescription artificial tears keeps your eyes moisturised and relieves eye irritation and dry eyes. If the symptoms of eye strain are causing major discomfort, see your eye doctor before getting any medication.
• Eye health supplements to relieve eye strain
Nutritional supplements rich in antioxidants can promote healthy visual function (7). We will explore a few options to consider in the next section.
Ingredients for maintaining eye health
1.Zinc is a crucial mineral with various vital functions in our body. One of the important nutritional effects of zinc is slowing the progression of age-related macular degeneration (8), Оne of the leading causes of visual disability worldwide. Studies have demonstrated that zinc supplementation, when combined with other antioxidants, can suppress retinal degeneration.
2. Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is essential for maintaining proper nerve function and overall eye health. Thiamine is responsible for transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain. While there is limited direct evidence directly linking vitamin B1 to alleviating eye strain, its general benefits for nerve function may indirectly contribute to reducing eye discomfort (9). Adequate thiamine levels may help optimize nerve function, potentially reducing the likelihood or severity of eye strain (10).
3. Astaxanthin is a powerful carotenoid. It exerts its antioxidant properties in the ciliary muscle which controls focus in the eyes. Eye strain is usually present if this muscle is overworked by staring at a screen all day long. Astaxanthin works directly to relax the ciliary muscle and therefore reduce eye strain.
4. Anthocyanins are known to improve blood flow and concentration. Commonly present in red, blue, or purple fruits and vegetables, they contain a specific anthocyanin, Cyanidin-3-O-galactoside. This is also the main active ingredient of Brainberry®, the Aronia Melanocarpa extract researched and developed by BioActor. Clinical studies have validated this ingredient’s efficacy in improving focus and hand-eye coordination.
2023 Recap & Plans for 2024
2023 Recap & Plans for 2024
As 2023 is coming to an end, we take a moment to reflect on our work and achievements of the year.
Our dedicated team actively participated in 17 international events, contributed to academia by publishing four scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals, and initiated two promising research collaborations.
In addition, our team had regular monthly business trips and numerous productive client meetings. These accomplishments stand as a testament to our collective efforts and dedication to our work, providing high quality, science-based nutrition solutions.
With gratitude, we reflect upon the accomplishments of 2023 and we are looking forward to what lies ahead in 2024.
Here we share a brief glimpse into what the upcoming year holds:
- 6-7 March: Nutraceuticals Europe, Barcelona
- 14-16 May: VitaFoods Europe, Geneva
- 18-20 September: VitaFoods Asia, Bangkok
- 30-31 October: SupplySide West, Las Vegas
Get in touch!
What are the best ingredients for heart health?
What are the best ingredients for heart health?
Cardiovascular health is vital for longevity. Lifestyle factors, including regular exercise and a heart-healthy diet, are crucial for maintaining cardiovascular well-being. Omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fibers, vitamins, and polyphenols in the diet play key roles in regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Find out more about keeping your heart healthy.
The cardiovascular system
Maintaining cardiovascular health is essential for a long and active life (1). The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, arteries and veins in the human body.
There are two important blood transportation systems: the pulmonary circulation and the systemic circulation. The pulmonary circulation transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs, to allow the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen by the lungs. The second system is the systemic circulation, which transports nutrient- and oxygen rich blood to all organs and cells (2). Therefore, both systems contribute to delivery of oxygen blood to tissues from head to toe. This is essential because every single cell in the human body needs oxygen and nutrients to maintain energy production.
How can nutrition impact cardiovascular health?
There are several factors that can influence the well-being of cardiovascular health. Stress is a major player in changing blood flow. It can temporarily increase blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, chronic stress can lead to persistent high blood pressure, inflammation, and the buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. (3)
On the other hand, regular exercise and physical activity help improve heart and blood vessel function, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and maintain a healthy weight.
Another factor that impacts cardiovascular health, is diet. A “heart-healthy” diet is low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars, and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Food directly impacts the health condition of your heart. If you choose the right foods, you can help to keep your heart in good shape. (4).
These heart-healthy foods help to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and maintain healthy blood vessels. Here are a few great options:
• Healthy fats, found in olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish like salmon, are integral to cardiovascular health. They promote optimal cholesterol profiles and reduce the risk of blood clots.
• Legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils, aid in lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure. The health effects of this food are typically attributed to the high content of fiber, nutrients, and active plant compounds (5).
• Fruits that contain high levels of polyphenols – a complex group of secondary plant metabolites. There is growing evidence that suggests that polyphenols could be relevant compounds for improving heart health. Notably, certain varieties of citrus fruit are known for their high levels of antioxidants, which play a role against oxidative stress (6, 7).
Key ingredients for heart health
Some people are limited in choosing their food, because of limited availability, so they may not be able to consume a diet rich in abovementioned foods. Supplementation could be a feasible alternative to consume the crucial compounds from those foods for supporting cardiovascular health. Therefore, we will now have a deeper look into the effective compounds, which can be easily supplemented:
• Omega-3 fatty acids are an example of healthy fats. They can be found in a lot of retail channels, pharmacies or online, predominantly in soft gels. They reduce the amount of triglycerides and improve cholesterol levels by lowering LDL cholesterol and increase the good HDL cholesterol. Moreover, omega-3 regulate blood pressure and have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Soluble fibers, normally found in fruits, legumes, vegetables and grains. They bind to cholesterol and remove it from the body. In this way, cholesterol levels can be reduced (8). Examples of soluble fibers to look for in terms of supplementation are psyllium, pectin and wheat dextrin.
• Vitamins can help to improve heart health. For example, there is high-quality research showing that Vitamin B9 supplementation can reduce the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease (9). Moreover, Vitamin K2 serves an important role in cardiovascular health through regulation of calcium homeostasis. It can lead to a reduction in arterial stiffness (10).
• Citrus flavonoids are a group of polyphenols that are, unsurprisingly, found in citrus fruits. Flavonones are a subclass of flavonoids that are linked to an improvement in heart health. Specifically, hesperidin (hesperitin-7-O-rutinoside), offers several health advantages due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, potentially playing a role in cardiovascular health (11). Some studies suggest that hesperidin may help lowering blood pressure and improving blood vessel function, which can be beneficial for heart health (12).
BioActor has developed Cordiart®, a proprietary sweet orange extract that is high in the rutinoside hesperidin. Cordiart® has the potential to support heart health by improving blood vessel function, reducing inflammation, and helping to manage high blood pressure. It can also assist in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. The beneficial effects of Cordiart® on endothelial function are clinically proven (13, 14).
