Herbalife Gels ViewVita: What’s Actually Proven vs. General Research on Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Herbalife Gels ViewVita is a sugar-free, gluten-free chewable gel in the “Eye Health” category, providing Vitamin A, zinc, DHA, lutein and zeaxanthin in a Berry Citrus Blast flavour. It’s imported and distributed by Herbalife International Luxembourg S.à r.l. and traded in the UK by Herbalife Europe Limited.
Net weight 50.4g, 30 chewable gels, one gel taken daily. It contains fish and gelatine, so it isn’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
Quick Summary
- Authorised claims: Vitamin A, zinc and DHA each contribute to normal vision. Zinc also contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress and normal vitamin A metabolism. DHA also contributes to normal brain function.
- Not an authorised claim: the macular pigment, blue light, and cognitive benefits often associated with lutein and zeaxanthin have not been evaluated by EFSA for this or any product — see the transparency section below.
- Dose: 10mg lutein and 2mg zeaxanthin per gel — the amount used in the independent research discussed below.
- Contains fish and gelatine — not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
- Safety note: excessive consumption may have a laxative effect. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of one gel.
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What Is ViewVita?
Eye HealthHerbalife Gels ViewVita is a chewable gel food supplement combining Vitamin A, zinc and DHA (omega-3, also found in fish oil) with lutein and zeaxanthin, two plant pigments. It’s sugar-free, gluten-free, and flavoured Berry Citrus Blast.
What ViewVita Is Authorised to Claim
Three of ViewVita’s ingredients carry EU-authorised health claims. Vitamin A, zinc and DHA each contribute to the maintenance of normal vision. Zinc additionally contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress and to normal vitamin A metabolism. DHA additionally contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function, with the beneficial effect obtained at a daily intake of 250mg — the exact amount in one gel.
Summary of authorised claims: normal vision (Vitamin A, zinc, DHA), protection of cells from oxidative stress (zinc), normal vitamin A metabolism (zinc), normal brain function (DHA).
Lutein and Zeaxanthin: A Transparency Note
ViewVita also contains 10mg of lutein and 2mg of zeaxanthin per gel. Neither ingredient currently carries an EFSA-authorised health claim under EU Regulation 1924/2006 — no approved claim exists linking them to macular pigment density, blue light protection, eye ageing, or cognitive performance.
Herbalife’s own educational material makes this distinction explicit. Herbalife publishes a separate article on lutein and zeaxanthin describing macular pigment, blue light and cognitive research, but the article itself carries this disclosure:
This article follows the same distinction: the research below is discussed as general, independently published science on lutein and zeaxanthin as ingredients — not as a claim this article, or ViewVita’s packaging, is authorised to make.
General Research on Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments found in foods such as spinach, collard greens, egg yolks and marigold flowers. The body cannot produce them, so they must come from diet or supplementation. Typical dietary intake in adults who eat few green vegetables is estimated at around 1-2mg per day, according to published dietary surveys.
Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD)
MPOD is a measure of how much protective pigment is concentrated in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for detailed central vision. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis (Wilson et al., Advances in Nutrition) found that lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation increases MPOD, with studies commonly using doses in the range of 10mg lutein and 2mg zeaxanthin daily. The review noted that people who already have an MPOD score at or above 0.5 may not see further benefit.
Blue Light and Glare Recovery
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study (Hammond et al., 2014, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science) reported effects on photostress recovery, glare disability and chromatic contrast following lutein/zeaxanthin supplementation. Earlier laboratory research (Kijlstra et al., 2012, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research) describes lutein and zeaxanthin’s light-filtering properties in the eye.
Cognitive Function
A randomised, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial in younger healthy adults (Renzi-Hammond et al., 2017, Nutrients) reported improvements in visual and spatial memory after 12 months of daily supplementation with 10mg lutein and 2mg zeaxanthin. A separate trial in older adults (Hammond et al., 2017, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience) reported similar cognitive findings over the same timeframe and dose.
These are independent, peer-reviewed findings on the ingredients in general, cited here for context. They are not EU-authorised health claims, and this article does not present them as proven effects of ViewVita specifically.
Full Nutritional Information
Per 1 chewable gel.
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 120µg RE | 15% |
| Zinc | 1.5mg | 15% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 335mg | — |
| of which EPA | 50mg | — |
| of which DHA | 250mg | — |
| Lutein | 10mg | — |
| Zeaxanthin | 2.0mg | — |
How to Use ViewVita
Take one chewable gel per day, as part of a balanced and varied diet and a healthy, active lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
Contains fish. Contains gelatine — not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Excessive consumption may produce a laxative effect.
Ingredients and Allergens
Fish oil concentrate, sweetener (xylitol), water, sweetener (sorbitol), gelatine, lutein and zeaxanthin mixture, acidity regulator (trisodium citrate), natural flavourings, acidity regulator (citric acid), zinc bisglycinate, antioxidant (ascorbic acid), Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), colour (beta-carotene).
Related Herbalife Gels
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ViewVita improve eyesight?
Vitamin A, zinc and DHA in ViewVita each carry an EU-authorised claim contributing to normal vision. Lutein and zeaxanthin do not carry an authorised claim, though they are studied independently in the general scientific literature discussed above.
Does ViewVita protect against blue light?
There is no EFSA-authorised claim for this. Independent research on lutein and zeaxanthin’s light-filtering properties exists in the general scientific literature, but this is not an authorised claim for ViewVita.
Is ViewVita vegetarian or vegan?
No. It contains fish oil concentrate and gelatine, so it’s not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
How much lutein and zeaxanthin does ViewVita contain?
10mg of lutein and 2mg of zeaxanthin per gel — the dose used in most of the independent clinical research on these ingredients.
Can taking too much ViewVita cause side effects?
Excessive consumption may produce a laxative effect. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of one gel.
How is ViewVita different from MindVita Kids?
ViewVita adds Vitamin A, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin alongside DHA; MindVita Kids instead pairs DHA with B vitamins and is dosed for children aged 4-17.
Sources & References
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific opinions underlying Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 on Vitamin A, zinc and DHA health claims.
- Herbalife. Lutein and Zeaxanthin: What are they and why do you need them? Published 28 September 2024 — educational resource, not evaluated by a regulatory body per its own disclosure.
- Wilson, L.M., et al. The Effect of Lutein/Zeaxanthin Intake on Human Macular Pigment Optical Density: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Advances in Nutrition, 2021;12(6):2244-2254.
- Hammond, B.R., et al. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on photostress recovery, glare disability, and chromatic contrast. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2014;55(12):8583-9.
- Renzi-Hammond, L.M., et al. Effects of a Lutein and Zeaxanthin Intervention on Cognitive Function. Nutrients, 2017;9(11).
- Hammond, B.R., et al. Effects of Lutein/Zeaxanthin Supplementation on the Cognitive Function of Community Dwelling Older Adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2017;9:254.
- Nutritional and ingredient data as disclosed on the official Herbalife Gels ViewVita UK product label.
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