High Antioxidant Diet Does Not Lower Age Related Macular Degeneration Risk

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 10 Oct 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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If you follow a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals your risk of developing age related macular degeneration will not be reduced, according to an article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of partial blindness in elderly people. It happens when the light sensitive cells in the macula break down progressively. The macula is located in the center of the retina at the back of the eye.

A patient with age related macular degeneration will not usually become totally blind - however, he/she will not be able to read, drive or do anything that requires sharp central vision.

The older you get the higher the risk is of developing age related macular degeneration. Smokers and/or obese people are also at higher risk.

It was suggested that vitamins C and E, various types of carotenoids, and zinc may reduce the oxidative damage to the retina. However, the evidence to show that dietary antioxidants can prevent age related macular degeneration is unclear, explained the writers.

Scientists form the Centre for Eye Researcher Australia, University of Melbourne, analyzed the evidence to determine whether dietary antioxidants or dietary supplements might prevent AMD. They looked at 11 studies which included 149,203 people - seven were prospective studies and three were randomized controlled trials. An assortment of common dietary antioxidants was investigated. All the trial participants came from well fed Western populations and were followed up, on average, for nine years.

All the 11 studies factored in for age, sex and smoking in their analyses.

The studies ranged in the types of antioxidants they investigated. However, when the researchers analyzed all the evidence it was clear that vitamins A and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, α- carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene have either a very slight or no effect on primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration.

None of the three randomized trials found that antioxidant supplements might protect from early age related macular degeneration.

The researchers concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the role of dietary antioxidants, including the use of dietary antioxidant supplements, for the primary prevention of early AMD.

Jennifer Evans, International Centre for Eye Health, in an accompanying editorial, supports these findings. She added that reducing the prevalence of smoking is probably the best that can be done to reduce the risk of AMD.

"Dietary antioxidants and primary prevention of age related macular degeneration: systematic review and meta-analysis"
Elaine W-T Chong, Tien Y Wong, Andreas J Kreis, Julie A Simpson, Robyn H Guymer
BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.39350.500428.47 (published 8 October 2007)
-- Click here to view abstract online

"Primary prevention of age related macular degeneration"
Jennifer Evans
BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.39351.478924.BE (published 8 October 2007)
-- Click here to read first 150 words online

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
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