Topic:

High Dietary Intake of Antioxidants Reduces the Risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration

Keywords:

AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION, VISION, EYESIGHT - Antioxidants, Dietary Nutrients

Reference:

"Reducing the Genetic Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration With Dietary Antioxidants, Zinc, and {omega}-3 Fatty Acids: The Rotterdam Study," Ho L, van Leeuwen R, et al, Arch Ophthalmol, 2011 June; 129(6): 758-66. (Address: Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands. E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Summary:

In a nested, case-control study involving 2,167 subjects (55 years of age or older), out of which 517 subjects developed early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), high dietary intake of nutrients with antioxidant properties was found to reduce the risk of early AMD in subjects with a high genetic risk. Specifically, homozygotes of CFH Y402H who were in the highest tertile of zinc intake were found to have a reduced HR or early AMD (from 2.25 to 1.27), and those in the highest tertiles of beta-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and EPA/DHA were found to have reduced risks as well (from 2.54 to 1.47, 2.63 to 1.72, and 1.97 to 1.30, respectively). The authors conclude, "...clinicians should provide dietary advice to young susceptible individuals to postpone or prevent the vision-disabling consequences of AMD." Sources Vitasearch