Antioxidant Vitamins Combat Age-related Macular Degeneration
Estimates indicate a significant reduction of age-related macular degeneration
Recent research by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) group published in the current issue of Archives of Ophthalmology1 estimates a significant reduction in the number of persons developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) during the next five years in patients supplemented with a high-dose antioxidant/zinc supplement. The study concluded that if all Americans over age 55 at risk for developing advanced AMD took a high-dose antioxidant and zinc supplement, more than 300,000 out of 1.3 million people (approximately 23%) would avoid vision loss. This could translate to a potentially significant impact on public health in the United States.
Research from other studies on AMD estimates approximately 8 million people in the United States, age 55 and over, have intermediate monocular, intermediate binocular, or advanced monocular AMD, and are considered to be at high risk for advanced binocular AMD.2-4
These latest statistics were derived from an earlier double-blind, placebo-controlled trial by the AREDS group, who observed a statistically significant reduction in the rate of progression to advanced AMD and the rate of moderate visual acuity loss in 3,609 patients receiving the antioxidant/zinc supplement (followed for an average of 6.3 years). The supplement provided oral daily doses of 500 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, 15 mg beta-carotene, 80 mg zinc oxide, and 2 mg cupric oxide.5
The current AREDS study objective was to estimate the effects of antioxidant supplementation on the rate of progression to, or treatment for, advanced binocular AMD. The researchers determined that if the 8 million people with intermediate or advanced monocular AMD were left untreated, 1.3 million would progress to a more advanced form of AMD. They also estimated if all 1.3 million people at risk for advanced AMD received an antioxidant supplement similar to the one used in their earlier research, more than 300,000 would avoid advanced AMD and the associated vision loss. This research suggests supplementing people at risk for advanced AMD with high-dose antioxidants and zinc could have a potentially significant positive impact on ocular health in this segment of the U.S. population.1
References:
1. Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group. Potential public health impact of age-related eye disease study results. Report No. 11. Arch Ophthalmol 2003;121:1621-1624.
2. DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000. U.S. Census Bureau Website
3. Klein R, Klein BE, Linton KL. Prevalence of age-related maculopathy: the Beaver Dam Eye Study.
4. Friedman DS, Katz J, Bressler NM, Rahmani B, Tielsch JM. Racial differences in the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration: the Baltimore Eye Survey. Ophthalmology. 1999 Jun;106(6):1049-55.
5. Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group. A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E and beta-carotene for age-related cataract and vision loss. Arch Ophthalmol 2001;119:1417-1436 (Report No. 8); 20001;119:1439-1452 (Report No. 9).
