VITAMINS & YOUR EYES

Antioxidant vitamins are increasingly being shown to be important in maintaining our health. This is especially true regarding the eyes. The new information is very interesting and can have a direct impact on our vision.

Antioxidant vitamins work by reducing the cellular damage that naturally occurs in the system as a result of stress and the release of free radicals from oxygen. Studies are showing that these vitamins can prevent, and in some cases treat disease. For example, an analysis of dietary questionnaires filled out by 87,000 nurses found that the amount of vitamin E obtained from food had almost no impact on cardiovascular disease. However, the study showed a 40% lower rate of heart disease among nurses who took 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin daily compared to those who took only 6 IU daily.

Of course, antioxidants are no substitute for a healthy lifestyle. To benefit the most from antioxidant therapy follow these lifestyle guidelines: Don't smoke, Protect your eyes from UV and short wavelength blue light, Exercise regularly (at least three times per week), Eat a low fat diet - especially fruits and vegetables (at least 5 servings daily), Avoid caffeine Limit alcohol consumption, and Get a good night's rest.

Antioxidants probably do very little for advanced disease. But certain eye diseases can be slowed if you take antioxidants in the early stages. Studies are demonstrating that the risk of cataract formation can be significantly reduced with vitamin C and E therapy.

One study showed a 70% reduction in cataract risk when individuals took 500 mg a day of vitamin C. Another study showed a 50% reduction in cataract risk in those who took 400 IU a day of vitamin E. Furthermore, people who took both supplements experienced a synergistic effect. They were almost totally free of cataracts. In addition, a 14 year study showed a 40% lower rate of cataract surgery in people who had a diet rich in beta carotene, an antioxidant of vitamin A. These studies indicate that cataract formation appears to be related to diet as well as age.

Age related macular degeneration is a disease that causes the nerves in the central retina to degenerate. This results in the permanent loss of central vision and an inability to read and drive. There appears to be evidence, although not as conclusive as with cataracts, to show that antioxidants may slow or arrest this degeneration. A study of 356 men and women (ages 60 to 80) with age related macular degeneration (AMD) found that people who consumed the highest amount of beta carotene in their diet had a 43% lower risk of advanced macular disease than people taking the least amount of antioxidant.

Other nutritional research suggests that luteins (pigmented lipids found in green, leafy vegetables) help protect the macula from damaging blue light.

In another study, AMD patients were given 100 mg of zinc twice a day and followed for two years. Patients taking zinc supplements had considerably less vision loss than patients who took a placebo. Note that the amount of zinc taken in this study was fairly high and therefore not recommended as a preventative measure because of possible toxicity.

This data leads us to believe that supplements are worth taking especially if there is a strong family history of, or early evidence of macular degeneration.

So what are the recommended doses of antioxidants? Based on what we know the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), a unit established long before the benefits of antioxidants were known, undervalues the amounts of antioxidant vitamins needed for a healthy lifestyle. Antioxidant dietary supplements should include:

• Vitamin C (1000 mg/day)
  
• Vitamin E (400 IU/day)
  
• Beta Carotene (10,000 IU/day)
  
• Selenium (50 mg/day)
  
• Inositol (500 mg/day)
  
• Pantothene (900 mg/day)
  
  

This data leads us to believe that supplements are worth taking especially if there is a strong family history of, or early evidence of macular degeneration.