Nutraceuticals, Supplements & Vitamins - Michigan Optometric ...

Age Related Cataracts
• Observational data from AREDS suggest that
use of multivitamin may delay the progression
of lens opacities
• NEI Trial studying use of Centrum and cataract
development
Age Related Cataracts
• Vitamin E may protect against UVB light
induced cataract
• Journal of Nutrition study found that
xanthophyll carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin
were more protective than Vitamin E
Age Related Cataracts
• Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
published a study which demonstrated that
grape seed pranthocyanidin supplements
suppressed experimental cataracts in animal
model
Age Related Cataracts
High dose Vitamin C Supplementation Study
– may have benefits, reduced risk of cataracts by 60% after
10 years of supplementation
– reduced risk of cortical cataracts in women under 60 years
of age
Increased total vitamin A - including carotenoids, and
lutein/zeaxanthin consumption may reduce overall risk for
cataract extraction
Age Related Cataracts
• One study indicates taking a broad based
multivitamin supplement may reduce cataract
risk by 33%
• Another study found that patients taking
regular doses of Vitamin E and maintained
high blood levels reduced risk by 50%
Age Related Cataracts
• The Longitudinal Study of Cataract – reduction
in nuclear cataract development with users of
multivitamins or vitamin E separately
• Lycopene - nutritional antioxidant, reduced
incidence of nuclear cataract in animal model with
restoration of normal lens physiology
• EPA omega-3 - essential fatty acid found in the
lens, supplementation may help maintain clarity
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