Vitamin, fatty acid may help chop risk of eye disease

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Hi All, Vitamin D and fish fatty acid may reduce our risk of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age-related_macular_degeneration development. The below two papers are pdf-availed. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/05/14/amd-diet.html Vitamin, fatty acid may help chop risk of eye disease, studies suggestLast Updated: Monday, May 14, 2007 6:07 PM ETCBC News Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and taking vitamin D may help the reduce the risk for age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of irreversible vision loss in older people in the developed world, studies suggest. Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of

blindness among Canadians over the age of 50, and affects about 15 million people in North America. AMD occurs when the macula, the area at the back of the retina that produces the sharpest vision, deteriorates over time. There is currently no way to prevent AMD but in the May issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, two U.S. teams of researchers looked at potential nutrient-based strategies. Researchers in the first study found that people who were least likely to have the disease ate more than two medium (113-gram) servings of fish per week — or more than one serving, if the fish was broiled or baked. The study tracked AMD among 4,519 people in the United States aged 60 to 80 who were enrolled in 1992 through 1998. Participants had photographs taken of their retinas to determine the extent of disease, if any, and they filled in questionnaires on how

often they ate foods rich in certain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as tuna and salmon. The researchers then compared the 1,115 participants who did not have symptoms of the disease when the study started were compared with 658 people with the severe neovascular form of AMD. "These results and those from other observational analytic investigations suggest that modifying diet to include more foods rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids could result in a reduction in the risk of having neovascular AMD," the study's authors concluded. Omega-3 fatty acids may affect the development of nerve-related diseases of the retina, the researchers said. For example, they said, one type of omega-3 called docosahexaenoic acid or DHA may protect the retina by influencing which genes get

turned on and off. They said fatty acids in general may promote cell survival, proper function in blood vessels, reduce inflammation and help maintain energy balance. 'Vitamin D may protect against AMD' The second study found that people who had the most vitamin D in their blood were 40 per cent less likely to have early AMD than those with the least amount of the vitamin. A higher intake of milk, which is fortified with vitamin D, was linked to a lower risk of early AMD, while fish intake was tied to a lower risk of advanced disease, the researchers found. "The study provides evidence that vitamin D may protect against AMD," wrote the team, led by Niyati Parekh, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Parekh and colleagues analyzed data from 7,752 people who were enrolled between 1988 and 1994. Participants had physicals that included taking blood and urine samples, photographs of the retinas, and interviews and questionnaires about diet and lifestyle. The study's authors speculated that vitamin D may reduce the risk by reducing inflammation or by preventing the growth of new blood vessels in the retina that contribute to some forms of AMD. However, they said there is not enough evidence on the relationship between vitamin D and AMD to make recommendations on the best levels of the vitamin in the blood, or the amount of milk or fish that people should eat to protect against AMD or its progression. Epidemiology Association Between Vitamin D and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 Through 1994Niyati Parekh; J. Chappell; Amy E. Millen; M. Albert; A.

MaresArch Ophthalmol. 2007;125:661-669. ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the associations between levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) in serum and prevalent age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods and Design Cross-sectional associations of serum vitamin D and early and advanced AMD, assessed from nonmydriatic fundus photographs, were evaluated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a multistage nationally representative probability sample of noninstitutionalized individuals (N = 7752; 11% with AMD). Results Levels of serum vitamin D were inversely associated with early AMD but not advanced AMD. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for early AMD among participants in the highest vs lowest quintile of serum vitamin D was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.5-0.8; P trend <.001). Exploratory

analyses were conducted to evaluate associations with important food and supplemental sources of vitamin D. Milk intake was inversely associated with early AMD (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.6-0.9). Fish intake was inversely associated with advanced AMD (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9). Consistent use vs nonuse of vitamin D from supplements was inversely associated with early AMD only in individuals who did not consume milk daily (early AMD: OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9). Conclusion This study provides evidence that vitamin D may protect against AMD. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings. Epidemiology The Relationship of Dietary Lipid Intake and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study: AREDS Report No. 20Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research GroupArch Ophthalmol. 2007;125:671-679. ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the association of lipid intake with baseline severity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). Methods Age-Related Eye Disease Study participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment (N = 4519) provided estimates of habitual nutrient intake through a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into 4 AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with <15 small drusen). Results Dietary total -3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake was inversely associated with neovascular (NV) AMD (odds ratio [OR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.90), as was docosahexaenoic acid, a retinal -3 LCPUFA (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36-0.80), comparing highest vs lowest quintile of intake, after adjustment for total

energy intake and covariates. Higher fish consumption, both total and broiled/baked, was also inversely associated with NV AMD (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37-1.00 and OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.93, respectively). Dietary arachidonic acid was directly associated with NV AMD prevalence (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.04-2.29). No statistically significant relationships existed for the other lipids or AMD groups. Conclusion Higher intake of -3 LCPUFAs and fish was associated with decreased likelihood of having NV AMD. -- Al Pater, alpater@...

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