Gardenia-derived crocetin,
does it really help with Improvement of eye fatigue and accommodation?
research showsGardenia-derived crocetin at 7.5 mg/day improved the pupillary response after VDT work and subjective eye fatigue in a crossover RCT of about 22 participants. The grade is C because this is one very small manufacturer-funded trial centered on surrogates and a visual analog scale.
ads claimAdvertising broadly presents 'restored accommodation,' 'relaxed ciliary-muscle fatigue,' and 'clearer vision.' Direct evidence concerns short-term pupillary response and visual analog scores in healthy VDT users, not lasting visual-acuity improvement or treatment of eye disease.
Useful facts when choosing a product
- The eye-fatigue trial used Gardenia-derived crocetin at 7.5 mg/day.
- It was a four-week crossover study with a registered target sample of 22.
- The primary outcome was pupil constriction during accommodation, accompanied by subjective visual analog scores.
- The ingredient supplier RIKEN VITAMIN funded the study and company employees were authors.
What the research actually shows
The Umigai 2017 trial was a crossover study of approximately 22 VDT users with subjective eye fatigue who received crocetin at 7.5 mg/day and placebo for four weeks each. Changes in pupil constriction after rest and eye-fatigue visual analog scores improved during crocetin. The Mori 2019 trial followed 69 children with myopia for 24 weeks and reported small differences in refractive and axial-length progression, but it was not used as key evidence for eye fatigue because the population and outcome differ.
Why this is classified as C (43)
A direct RCT found a positive signal, but it is a single very small, manufacturer-linked, surrogate-centered study without independent replication, resulting in C with 43 points.
Counterpoint. Objective accommodation response and subjective fatigue improved in the same direction after a four-week VDT challenge.
Rejudgment record. New assessment — Positive small crossover RCT, but pupillary and visual-analog surrogates, manufacturer funding and author links, and no independent replication
Sub-claim grades by effect
This ingredient is marketed for several effects. A single overall grade blends strong and weak claims together, so each effect is graded separately here. The overall grade reflects the strongest disconfirming or core claim.
| Effect (sub-claim) | Grade | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Eye-fatigue relief with Gardenia-derived crocetin | C | A small crossover RCT reported improved visual analog scores, but it was a single manufacturer-linked trial. |
| Improved accommodation with Gardenia-derived crocetin | C | Pupil constriction changes improved, but this was a short-term surrogate rather than a clinical vision outcome. |
Cross-check — Codex and Claude
Evidence Table
| Study | Design | Sample | Funding | Endpoint | Result | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umigai N et al. 2017 | Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial | 22 | RIKEN VITAMIN CO., LTD. | Pupil constriction during accommodation, eye-fatigue visual analog scale, and tear tests | After four weeks of crocetin at 7.5 mg/day, post-rest pupil constriction changes and subjective eye fatigue improved. | Key |
| Mori K et al. 2019 | Multicenter randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial | 67 | Academic and industry links; see article disclosures | Refractive and axial-length progression over 24 weeks | Crocetin at 7.5 mg/day produced small differences in myopia-progression measures; this is separate from adult eye fatigue and accommodation. | Supportive |
Receipt — 2 References
All 2 cited sources were verified for existence at the original page (as of 2026-07-11).
Reviewed and approved: Chamgap Editorial Team · Approval date: 2026-07-11 · Corrections: none
Cite this verdict
[Chamgap] Gardenia-derived crocetin x improvement of eye fatigue and accommodation — Evidence Grade C·43. 2 cited sources checked. Source: https://health-receipt.pages.dev/en/verdicts/eye/gardenia-crocetin-eye-fatigue-accommodation/ · CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.
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