Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Fight Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration

Omega-3 & Diabetic retinopathy
image via www.research.gov

A new study further supports what we know about how beneficial omega-3 fatty acids can be, particularly in the prevention of diabetic retinopathy. This new study, performed at Children’s Hospital Boston, describes how these “good fats” most commonly found in fish oil actually work to prevent diabetic retinopathy.

Both diabetic retinopathy and another potentially blinding condition, macular degeneration, are caused by the abnormal growth of leaky blood vessels within the eyes.  Mice whose diets were supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids (which many people on a Western diet do not get enough of) were 50% less likely to have these eye conditions compared to other mice who were given lots of omega-6’s (fats more commonly found in the Western food chain).

This study shows how omega-3 fatty acids actually have  “a direct effect on blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) that selectively promotes the growth of healthy blood vessels and inhibits the growth of abnormal vessels.”

Source: MedicalNewsToday.com

Learn more about how to prevent diabetic retinopathy through diet, lifestyle habits, and other supplements.

See information on natural treatment options for macular degeneration.