Vitamins Shown to
Reduce Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
By Richard Shank
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the number one cause of permanent vision loss in older Americans. It is estimated that over 7 million people have early signs of AMD, which has little to no outward signs of visual impairment.
It was previously believed that there were no known disease prevention methods for AMD other than abstaining from cigarettes; furthermore, treating AMD has proven to have limited success. However, recent epidemiological research suggests that homocysteine concentrations in the blood are directly related to the risk of AMD and other chronic diseases. Homocysteine is an amino-acid commonly associated with deficiencies in Vitamins B6, B9, and B12. It is unclear whether therapeutic approaches to overcoming Vitamin B deficiencies will have an impact on the risk for AMD.
In response to this uncertainty, researchers at the Harvard Medical School recently performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. This trial was conducted with 5,442 females, age 40 years of age or better, who had preexisting cardiovascular disease or three or more cardiovascular disease risk factors. The participants were tracked over a seven-year period of treatment and follow-up. Groups were randomly assigned and split between those who received Vitamin B (B6, B9, and B12) therapeutic interventions and those receiving a placebo.
During the seven-year study period, participants who received the Vitamin B intervention were significantly less likely to develop AMD than those in the placebo group. Those who received the active treatment experienced a 35% to 40% reduction in AMD risk. However, it was discovered that the beneficial impact of the treatment did not appear until two years after the therapy had begun.
Given that little was known about the prevention of AMD in the recent past, studies such as this one have potentially large public health and clinical implications. At the very least, the findings warrant further research into the impact of Vitamins B6, B9, and B12 on the AMD rates of other demographic groups.
Source: Christen, W., Glynn, R., Chew, E., Albert, C., Manson, J. 2009. Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, and Cyanocobalamin Combination Treatment and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Women. Archives of Internal Medicine 1679(4): 335-340.
Comments? Tell us what you think: askaia@matherlifeways.com
