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Protect Your Vision with Leafy GreensStudies have found that people who eat spinach, kale, collard greens, and other lutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods have a much lower risk of AMD
Our eyesight is highly vulnerable to the aging process, diminishing for many of us as we proceed through our later years. More often than not, this dimming of vision is due to an age-related condition called macular degeneration. A study, published in Optometry, found that the carotenoid (yellow pigment) zeaxanthin improved vision in older men with macular degeneration, and the effect was comparable to that seen with the better-known carotenoid, lutein. Both zeaxanthin and lutein are widely found in colorful fruits and vegetables, especially the dark greens like spinach and kale. Carotenoid supplements improve visionThe study included 60 older people with mild to moderate AMD. All but three of the participants were male and their average age was 75. They were divided into three groups: one group received 8 mg of zeaxanthin per day, another group received 8 mg of zeaxanthin plus 9 mg of lutein per day, and a third group received 9 mg of lutein per day. Visual tests were performed at the beginning of the trial and after four, eight, and twelve months of treatment. The study’s authors reported the following findings:
Pigments in vision-producing cellsThe study’s authors pointed out that zeaxanthin primarily enhanced the aspects of vision that are related to the function of the cone cells of the retina, cells that naturally concentrate this pigment. Lutein is naturally concentrated in the rod cells of the retina, and the men who supplemented with lutein saw the most benefit in the aspects of vision for which the rods are responsible. They concluded that, while there was considerable overlap between the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin in men with AMD, their differences make them complementary. “We believe that patients with AMD, particularly those short of catastrophic end stage disease, might want to enhance their declining vision with carotenoids,” they said. Don’t forget your greensYou can take steps to reduce your likelihood of developing vision-dimming macular degeneration as you age:
(Optometry 2011;82:667–80) Maureen Williams, ND, completed her doctorate in naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle and has been in private practice since 1995. With an abiding commitment to access to care, she has worked in free clinics in the US and Canada, and in rural clinics in Guatemala and Honduras where she has studied traditional herbal medicine. She currently lives and practices in Victoria, BC, and lectures and writes extensively for both professional and community audiences on topics including family nutrition, menopause, anxiety and depression, heart disease, cancer, and easing stress. Dr. Williams is a regular contributor to TraceGains Newswire. Copyright © 2024 TraceGains, Inc. All rights reserved. |