Archive for the ‘Macular Degeneration’ Category

Zeaxanthin Can Reduce Chances of Macular Degeneration by 79%

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

In this study, subjects with high levels of plasma zeaxanthin had a 93% reduced risk of AMD. Globally, subjects with high total plasma lutein and zeaxanthin had a 79% reduced risks of AMD compared with subjects with low total plasma lutein and zeaxanthin.

Ref: IOVS, June 2006, Vol. 47, No. 6

Zeaxanthin is a yellow phytonutrient pigment located in many fruits and vegetables such as lettuce, broccoli, goji berry, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, kiwifruit, and Brussel sprouts.

For more information on related research studies and macular degeneration, Click Here

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Low Vitamin D3 levels have been linked to an increased prevalence of early age-related macular degeneration

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Study shows that low levels of vitamin D3 is linked to an increase in the prevalence of macular degeneration.

Ref: Parekh N, Chappell RJ, Millen AE, Albert DM, Mares JA. Association Between Vitamin D and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988 Through 1994. Arch Ophthalmol. May 2007;125: 661-669.

Editor’s Note: Vitamin D3 is one of the super nutrients that should be part of everyone’s diet, and should be added as a supplement particularly for people who do not get much exposure daily to the sun. Numerous studies have shown Vitamin D3 as helping prevent cancer, improve immune function and bone health, regulate insulin and blood pressure, and more.

For more information on nutrition and macular degeneration, go to www.naturaleyecare.com/macular_degen_short.asp?d_num=8

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Studies Show Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba for Macular Degeneration and Preventing Retinal Detachments

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Controlled trials have shown that extracts of Ginkgo Biloba can significantly improve visual acuity in ARMD patients within six months of use.* And both animal and human studies have revealed that Ginkgo extract can help to prevent retinal detachment, while increasing antioxidant activity in patients’ blood, tears and plasma.**

* Fies P, Dienel A. [Ginkgo extract in impaired vision--treatment with special extract EGb 761 of impaired vision due to dry senile macular degeneration] [Article in German]. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2002;152(15-16):423-6.

** Karazhaeva MI, Saksonova EO, Klebanov GI, Liubitskii OB, Gur’eva NV. [The use of flavonoid antioxidants in the complex treatment of patients with peripheral vitreo-chorioretinal dystrophies and dystrophic retinal detachment] [Article in Russian]. Vestn Oftalmol. 2004 Jul-Aug;120(4):14-8.

** Baudouin C, Ettaiche M, Imbert F, Droy-Lefaix MT, Gastaud P, Lapalus P. Inhibition of preretinal proliferation by free radical scavengers in an experimental model of tractional retinal detachment. Exp Eye Res. 1994Dec;59(6):697-706.

Editor’s Note: For more related information and studies, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

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Study updates data from M.A. Babizhayev and colleagues on cataracts and n-acetyl-carnosine

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Updated research continues to show the effectiveness of using eyedrops with 1% n-acetyl-carnosine solutions for preventing and managing cataracts. Research also indicates these eyedrops may help other eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, primary open-angle glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Dr. Babizhayev and colleagues published their study in American Journal of Therapeutics (N-Acetylcarnosine Lubricant Eyedrops Possess All-In-One Universal Antioxidant Protective Effects of L-Carnosine in Aqueous and Lipid Membrane Environments, Aldehyde Scavenging, and Transglycation Activities Inherent to Cataracts: A Clinical Study of. American Journal of Therapeutics, UNKNOWN DATE;16(6):517-533).

Editor’s Note: For information on Can-C eyedrops (1% n-acetyl-carnosine eyedrops), go to www.naturaleyecare.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=1831

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Low level of antioxidants with exposure to blue light increases risk of macular degeneration, study suggests.

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

Some cases of age-related macular degeneration may arise from a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and exposure to blue light from the sun, a multinational European study suggested.

By itself, blue-light exposure had no associations with neovascular or early-stage age-related macular degeneration. However, analysis of blue-light exposure by antioxidant quartile revealed consistent and significant association with neovascular age-related macular degeneration among those in the lowest quartile of vitamin C, vitamin E, zeaxanthin, and dietary zinc (odds ratio of about 1.4 per standard unit deviation increase in blue-light exposure).

Source reference:
Fletcher AE, et al “Sunlight exposure, antioxidants, and age-related macular degeneration” Arch Ophthalmol 2008; 126: 1396-1403.

For more information in macular degeneration and nutrition, Click Here

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Soy peptide lunasin has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory properties

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Two new University of Illinois studies report that lunasin, a soy
peptide often discarded in the waste streams of soy-processing
plants, may have important health benefits that include fighting
leukemia and blocking the inflammation that accompanies such
chronic health conditions as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, heart
disease, and stroke (see also University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign).

In another study, the first to report lunasin’s potential
anti-inflammatory activity, they showed that lunasin blocked or
reduced the activation of an important marker called NF-kappa-B,
a link in the chain of biochemical events that cause inflammation.

Lunasin’s bioavailability in the human body was confirmed by doing a
third study in which men consumed 50 grams of soy protein–one soy
milk shake and a serving of soy chili daily–for five days.

Editor’s Note1: Note that soy flour does contain high concentrations of the peptide.
Editor’s Note2: Chronic systemic inflammation can cause or contribute to many eye conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macula edema, optic neuritis, uveitis and iritis for example. Chronic inflammation is now considered a major contributor to heart disease as well.

For more information on ways to help manage inflammation nutritionally, Click Here

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Study: Promising Research on differentiating adult stem cells to replace lost RPE cells for those with Macular Degeneration

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Adult stem cells coaxed into differentiating into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, critical for preserving vision for those with macular degeneration. This study was done in vitro and in vivo following transplantation into the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) dystrophic rat.

More research needs to be done to see the application of this technique for humans.

Citation: Carr A-J, Vugler AA, Hikita ST, Lawrence JM, Gias C, et al. (2009) Protective Effects of Human iPS-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell Transplantation in the Retinal Dystrophic Rat. PLoS ONE 4(12): e8152. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008152

For more related studies on macular degeneration and nutrition, go to Click Here

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New Study Shows Possible Correlation of Low Blood Levels of Melatonin and Higher Risk of Macular Degeneration

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

After adjustment for the factors of age, smoking, and histories of cancer and coronary heart disease, researchers found that urinary levels of melatonin was 40% lower in AMD patients compared than that of the age-and gender-matched controls.

The researchers concluded: “The significance of this result and the role of melatonin in the occurrence of AMD require further investigation.”

Ref: Molecular Vision (Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin level in age-related macular degeneration patients. Molecular Vision, 2009;15(179-80):1673-1679).

For more related studies, go to Natural Eye Care Macular Degeneration Research Studies

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New Study: Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce the Risk of Macular Degeneration

Friday, November 20th, 2009

A new study has investigated whether higher omega-3 intake is associated with a reduced likelihood of developing AMD. Participants who reported the highest omega-3 consumption were 20% less likely than their peers to develop AMD.

Ref: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.27594v1

For more information, go to Click Here

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Survey Shows That Americans Lack Significant Knowledge of Age-Related Vision Problems, Particularly Macular degeneration and Glaucoma

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

According to the AOA’s American Eye-Q(R) survey, which assesses public knowledge and understanding of issues related to eye and visual health, only 18 percent of Americans know that macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older, and less than a quarter of all Americans understand the effects of glaucoma.

This is particularly concerning as with the baby boomer population coming of age as seniors.

Source: SOURCE American Optometric Association, URL: http://www.aoa.org www.prnewswire.com

Editor’s Note: Through diet, lifestyle and specific nutritional supplementation, there is a great deal one can do to maintain healthy vision and significantly reduce the risk of onset of eye diseases such as macular degeneration. For more information, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

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