Home Ingredients ZeaONE® (Natural Zeaxanthin from Marigold)
Eye Health

ZeaONE® (Natural Zeaxanthin from Marigold)

Tagetes erecta
Evidence Level
Very Strong
1 Clinical Trial
5 Documented Benefits
5/5 Evidence Score

ZeaONE® is the source OF natural zeaxanthin from marigold flowers manufactured by Kemin Industries — used in DSM's OPTISHARP™ Natural product. Distinguished by RR-zeaxanthin natural form (matching retinal tissue), marigold flower source aligned with FloraGLO® Lutein. The B2B/business positioning of the same natural zeaxanthin that's in OPTISHARP Natural retail products.

Studied Dose 2 mg/day natural zeaxanthin (typically combined with 10 mg lutein)
Active Compound RR-Zeaxanthin from Tagetes erecta marigold flowers

Benefits

Natural Zeaxanthin Source for Eye Health

ZeaONE provides the natural marigold-sourced zeaxanthin that's used in OPTISHARP Natural and Kemin's branded products. Same evidence base as OPTISHARP Natural.

Supported by Trial 1

AREDS2 Foundation

AREDS2 trial established lutein + zeaxanthin for AMD; ZeaONE provides natural zeaxanthin component.

Supported by Trial 1

Foveal Macular Pigment

Zeaxanthin specifically concentrates in central foveal region; ZeaONE supports foveal pigment density.

Supported by Trial 1

Combined with FloraGLO Lutein

Aligned source (both from marigolds); standard combination for comprehensive macular carotenoid support.

Supported by Trial 1

Sustainable Marigold Cultivation

Kemin's marigold supply chain provides sustainable natural zeaxanthin source.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Same as OPTISHARP Natural

ZeaONE is the natural zeaxanthin material used in DSM's OPTISHARP Natural; same mechanism of action — macular pigment, blue light filtering, antioxidant protection.

2

Natural RR-Zeaxanthin Form

Natural-source zeaxanthin from marigolds is RR-isomer matching retinal tissue.

3

Foveal Concentration

Zeaxanthin preferentially concentrates in foveal center where most acute vision occurs.

4

Marigold Source Alignment

Same source plant (Tagetes erecta) as FloraGLO Lutein — sustainable aligned supply chain.

Clinical trials

1
Same Evidence Base as OPTISHARP Natural
PubMed

ZeaONE evidence base derives from AREDS2 and other clinical trials of natural zeaxanthin.

AREDS2: 4,203 participants.

Reduced AMD progression with lutein + zeaxanthin supplementation.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Same as OPTISHARP Natural.
Generally extremely well-tolerated.
Mild GI distress (rare).
Yellowing of skin at very high doses.

Important Drug interactions

Same as OPTISHARP Natural / general zeaxanthin.
Generally minimal drug interactions.
Pregnancy/lactation — generally safe.
Children — safe.

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Frequently asked questions about ZeaONE® (Natural Zeaxanthin from Marigold)

What is ZeaONE?

ZeaONE® is the source OF natural zeaxanthin from marigold flowers manufactured by Kemin Industries — used in DSM's Optisharp™ Natural product. Distinguished by RR-zeaxanthin natural form (matching retinal tissue), marigold flower source aligned with FloraGLO® Lutein.

What is ZeaONE used for?

ZeaONE is researched primarily for Eye Health. ZeaONE provides the natural marigold-sourced zeaxanthin that's used in Optisharp Natural and Kemin's branded products. Same evidence base as Optisharp Natural.

What is the recommended dosage of ZeaONE?

The clinically studied dose is 2 mg/day natural zeaxanthin (typically combined with 10 mg lutein) Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is ZeaONE safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, ZeaONE is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Same as Optisharp Natural. Generally extremely well-tolerated. It may also interact with some medications. ZeaONE is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does ZeaONE interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Same as Optisharp Natural / general zeaxanthin. Generally minimal drug interactions. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for ZeaONE?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for ZeaONE as Very Strong (5 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 4 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(4 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Research Group. Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2013;309(19):2005-15. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.4997.PubMedUsed to support: Landmark trial establishing 2 mg/day zeaxanthin (with 10 mg lutein) in the AREDS2 eye-health formula. ZeaONE is a marigold-derived natural zeaxanthin; no ZeaONE-specific outcome trials exist, so this represents parent zeaxanthin evidence. Primary endpoint was null but supported zeaxanthin as a safe carotenoid substitute for beta-carotene.
  2. Richer SP, Stiles W, Graham-Hoffman K, Levin M, Ruskin D, Wrobel J, Park DW, Thomas C. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of zeaxanthin and visual function in patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration: the Zeaxanthin and Visual Function Study (ZVF) FDA IND #78,973. Optometry. 2011;82(11):667-680.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.optm.2011.08.008.PubMedUsed to support: ZVF RCT (n=60): zeaxanthin 8 mg/day raised macular pigment optical density and improved foveal cone-based visual function. Supports the parent zeaxanthin molecule for macular pigment/eye health; not conducted with the ZeaONE brand, and the sample was small and mostly male.
  3. Ma L, Liu R, Du JH, Liu T, Wu SS, Liu XH. Lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin supplementation associated with macular pigment optical density. Nutrients. 2016;8(7):426. doi: 10.3390/nu8070426.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 20 RCTs showing xanthophyll (incl. zeaxanthin) supplementation significantly increases macular pigment optical density. Provides parent-ingredient evidence for ZeaONE's MPOD-raising rationale; no branded ZeaONE data is included.
  4. Ma L, Dou HL, Wu YQ, Huang YM, Huang YB, Xu XR, Zou ZY, Lin XM. Lutein and zeaxanthin intake and the risk of age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2012;107(3):350-359. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511004260.PubMedUsed to support: Cohort meta-analysis: higher lutein/zeaxanthin intake associated with reduced late AMD (RR 0.74) and neovascular AMD (RR 0.68), but no significant effect on early AMD. Honest parent-literature framing for ZeaONE: epidemiologic protection is limited to advanced disease, and no brand-specific trials exist.