268 Prevent Macular Degeneration and Cognitive Decline: How Essential Carotenoids Protect Your Brain and Vision with Prof. John Nolan
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan, · May 18, 2026 · 40:13
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan, · May 18, 2026 · 40:13
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
What if essential carotenoid antioxidants you consume today, could protect your vision and cognitive functions now and in the future? In this episode, Professor John Nolan explains how specific carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin play a critical role in protecting the retina and brain from oxidative stress, a key driver of damage and age-related decline. As a leading researcher in ocular and brain nutrition, he shares ground- breaking insights from clinical trials showing how targeted supplementation can improve visual function and support cognitive performance. Listeners will learn why prevention must begin early, how to identify effective nutritional strategies, and how to take control of long-term eye and brain health to extend their healthspan .
Professor John Nolan is a full professor at South East Technological University in Waterford, Ireland, where he holds the Howard Chair in Human Nutrition. He is a nutritional biochemist specializing in the role of carotenoids in vision and cognitive health. As Director of the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland he has led m ajor international clinical trials, including the CREST studies, published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and is founder and chair of the International Brain and Ocular Nutrition Conference. His research focuses on targeted nutrition to prevent and manage age-related diseases such as macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease, advancing evidence-based nutritional strategies to support lifelong eye and brain health.
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Welcome and introduction
04:25 – Origins of carotenoid research and macular degeneration
Early work identifying nutrition as a key modifiable risk factor
09:30 – What carotenoids are and why they matter
Role as antioxidants and "internal sunscreen" for the eye
13:55 – Can macular degeneration be reversed or improved
Distinguishing regeneration, slowing progression, and functional improvement
17:30 – Brain and eye connection
How nutrition may reactivate neural pathways and support cognition
20:27 – Challenging the current medical model
Why prevention must replace late-stage intervention
Episodes: Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
