Source: BMJ-British Medical Journal
Date: October 8, 2007

Antioxidants Do Not Prevent Degenerative Eye Disease

Science Daily — A diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals does not seem to prevent the degenerative eye disease known as age related macular degeneration, finds a study published on the British Medical Journal website.

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of visual loss in older people. It is caused by the progressive break down of light sensitive cells in the macula, located in the centre of the retina at the back of the eye. Sufferers do not go blind, but find it virtually impossible to read, drive, or do tasks requiring fine, sharp, central vision.

Risk increases with age and smokers are thought to be more susceptible.

Antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, various types of carotenoids, and zinc) are thought to reduce oxidative damage to the retina. But the evidence to support the role of dietary antioxidants in preventing macular degeneration remains unclear.

So researchers at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, the University of Melbourne analysed the evidence to examine the role of dietary antioxidants or dietary supplements in the primary prevention of age related macular degeneration.

They identified 11 studies (seven prospective studies and three randomised controlled trials) involving 149,203 people. A range of common dietary antioxidants were investigated and all the studies were carried out amongst well nourished Western populations with an average follow-up period of nine years.

Importantly, all the studies adjusted for age and smoking in their analyses.

The antioxidants investigated differed across studies, but when results were pooled they showed that vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, α- carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene have little or no effect in the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration.

None of the three trials found antioxidant supplements to be protective in the primary prevention of early age related macular degeneration.

Despite some study limitations, the authors conclude that there is insufficient evidence to support the role of dietary antioxidants, including the use of dietary antioxidant supplements, for the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration.

Currently, cigarette smoking remains the only widely accepted modifiable risk factor for the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration, and patients seeking advice on this condition should be encouraged to quit, they add.

An accompanying editorial by Jennifer Evans at the International Centre for Eye Health supports these findings and says that reducing the prevalence of smoking is probably the most effective method of reducing the population burden of this common cause of visual loss in older people.

Note: This story has been adapted from material provided by BMJ-British Medical Journal.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...71008171034.htm

what a bunch of bull. I wonder what these researchers have to gain? I guess they do eye surgery or something.

I don't believe it!! Especially about vitamin A. And they didn't even do vitamin D!!!

http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cach...clnk&cd=3&gl=us
In 2001, the NEI published the results of a seven-year study which showed that a high-dose combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc significantly reduces the risk of developing advanced stages of MD by about 25 percent. These high levels of antioxidants and zinc are the first effective treatment to slow the progression of MD.

There are a ton of studies that show that low carb diet and antioxidants improve vision.

http://www.vitacost.com/ocupower/index.cfm

http://www.vitacost.com/Vision.html

http://www.vitacost.com/articleResu...s&ss=1&Ntt=eyes

http://www.vitacost.com/articleResu...ss=1&Ntt=vision

http://www.lef.org/protocols/eye_ea...thy_eyes_01.htm

http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-071.shtml

Or you could just ask people that take them. My eye doctor asked about my vision and after I told him mine improved - he said I was like the 3rd or 4th person to tell him that.

What is funny is there are numerous studies about people on gastric bypass surgery that don't take their vitamins - and almost become blind. After a couple of months on vitamins - there vision returns to about normal.

But this study, and many others out there are FUD - fear, uncertainty, and doubt that anything other than what your doctor prescribes is a waste of time and money - and could be dangerous!

Hear, hear!!!

My vision improved with vitamins A and D two years in a row.

Eh, a low carb diet prevents it. I suppose antioxidants can only do so much in the presence of all the crap people are throwing at their bodies. Read the Taubes book, he explains how high carb diets damage the eyes in the first place. Sure, it'd be great if there was a magical pill that could prevent the damage from happening but I suspect that nothing can keep up with the damage people are doing to themselves.

I started taking vitamins to improve my eyesight years ago and it did help. I got up to find what I thought was smoke in the house, no so. It was cataracts (spel?). I haven't had the smoke problem since I started taking vitamins for my eyes. Also when my son was young a boy hit him in the eye with a paper clip for fun and my son was in the hospital for 5 days. The eye doctor said he only has a 10% chance of not losing sight in that eye. With continuious prayer and sneaking vitamin E and C into the hosiptal to him his eye got better. He was 12 then and now he is 38 and no problem from that injury.