The bioflavonoid, lutein and the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA (docosahexaeonic acid) may have a protective effect on the eye, possibly preventing age-related macular degeneration. Bioflavonoids, like lutein, are antioxidants derived from plants.
Macular degeneration affects more than 10 million Americans. It is an incurable eye disease and that it is the leading cause of blindness for those aged 55 and older. As people age the chances for developing eye diseases increase dramatically. Macular degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina’s central portion, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.
A study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008 May;87(5):1521-9) showed that lutein and DHA may improve macular pigment optical density. The subjects of the study were 49 women between the ages of 60 and 80. They were given either DHA (800 mg/day), lutein (12 mg/day), a combination of lutein and DHA or a placebo. Both lutein and DHA supplementation increased pigment density. The lutein increased it in the macula and the DHA increased it in other areas of the eye. The increase in pigment density indicates that the supplements may help protect from macular degeneration.
Other supplements may also be useful. Research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2009; 169(4): 335-41) looked at the effect B vitamin supplementation had on the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 5,505 female subjects. The women were health professionals, all over the age of 40, with at least three risk factors for cardiovascular disease or a previous history of cardiovascular disease. At the start of the double-blind, placebo controlled study, none of the subjects had AMD. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a combination of folic acid (2.5 mg/d), pyridoxine hydrochloride (50 mg/d), and cyanocobalamin (1 mg/d) or placebo. After 7.3 years of supplementation, 82 cases of AMD were reported in the placebo group, compared to 55 cases in the group receiving the B vitamins. The results suggest that B vitamin supplementation may reduce the risk of AMD in women at risk for cardiovascular disease.
