Antioxidants reduce risk of AMD

International News on Fats, Oils and Related Materials : INFORM, March, 2006 by Anonymous

A diet which includes high intake of beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc is associated with a substantially reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration in the elderly, according to a study in the December 28, 2005. issue of JAMA.

Age-related mucular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in developed countries, according to the article. The prevalence of late AMD increases dramatically with age. affecting 11.5% of white persons older than 80 years. Previous studies showed that supplements which increased the daily intake of specific untioxidunts resulted in a 25% reduction in the 5-year progression to late AMD in participants with early or single eye late AMD.

"This study suggests that the risk of AMD can be modified by diet; in...