Is the right diet helpful to influence a macular degeneration?

What should one think of artificial vitamins? Is my eating habit having a bad influence on my macular degeneration? Numerous by macular degeneration affected people have contacted us over the course of the past months with those and similar questions. We researched for you and have found interesting answers.

Our Result: A certain diet may, according to studies, have indeed an influence on the course of a macular degeneration.

What do studies tell us about the connection of diets and macular degeneration?

June 2010:

A British study called "The Nutrition Properties and health Benefits of Eggs", published in June 2010 describes how the carotene Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the yolk can deposit itself in the macular and work as antioxidant, which means, that they protect the eye of damages. Further on they say this could probably help to prevent a macular degeneration.

What kind of nutrition has an influence on an existing macular degeneration?

The Tufts University at Boston describes in a study that the so called glycaemic index could have an influence on the course of an existing macular degeneration. The glycaemic index describes how quickly the human body is able to exploit carbohydrates. Nutrition with a high index, such as white bread, French Fries or sweetened beverages let the blood sugar level climb quickly. It shows, according to the study, that affected people who ate mostly food with a high glycaemic index had a by 17 percent higher risk for an ongoing macular degeneration. A diet with a low glycaemic index which lets the blood sugar level rise slowly seems to protect the eyes.

Is fish really as healthy against macular degeneration?

The same study from Boston moreover discovered that the so called Omega-3 aliphatic acids were also able to slow down a macular degeneration. Those can be mostly found in mackerel, salmon, herring and tuna. Therefore, it is recommended to eat two to three times one of those high-fat fishes and also to use herbal oils such as linseed oil or canola oil.

Evolution researchers assume that the brain and the complex nerve system of people were only able to evolve to our nowadays abilities due to a high eating amount of Omega-3 aliphatic acids during prehistoric times. Up to now the brain has remained the organ of the body with the highest demand for Omega-3 aliphatic acids. Since the eyes are a part of the brain in an evolutionary sense a positive influence on a macular degeneration through Omega-3 aliphatic acids are conceivable.

What vitamins are really important against macular degeneration and where do I find them?

Professor Dr. Gabriele Lang of the University eye clinic is of the opinion that a sufficient supply with Lutein is of highest meaning to prevent a macular degeneration. It is said that Lutein filtered the incoming light in the eye and worked practically as an inner pair of sunglasses, in order to protect the retina of damages. Since the body is not able to build it itself it has to come from the nutrition.

The Lutein information office advises to eat a big bowl of spinach on a daily base. That would qualify as the minimum amount of 6 mg Lutein daily.

Medicals recommend aside of spinach most of all broccoli, sprouts and green cabbage as a source for Lutein. Further details on “Lutein and Macular Degeneration” you can find here.
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Are artificial vitamins good against macular degeneration or rather dangerous?

The US National Eye Institute published some years ago a study (AREDS) which had as a result that a highly dosed therapy with antioxidants (such as certain vitamins and minerals) could reduce the risk of a progressing macular degeneration by 25 percent. The in the study used vitamin combination has been equalized in the same manner since they could cause a possible anemia and also would lead to a higher risk of cancer with smokers. The result of this study recommends taking artificial vitamins. In Germany those recommendations have not established with regards to macular degeneration.

The American Heart Association introduced a study proofing that taking vitamin E in high dosages could be deadly.
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If I’m smoker, do I have to take extra precautions when taking artificial vitamins?

Dr. med. C.E. Uhlig from the university clinic Munich gives an important note: "Since smokers who take ß- carotenes do have an increased risk of getting lung tumors it is recommended not to take them!"
Our detailed research on the topic "Smoking and macular degeneration " you find here.
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Should I now take vitamins against macular degeneration?

The so called Rotterdam study found out that contrary to the already mentioned ARED study taking of vitamins does not have any influence on the risk of a macular degeneration.

An over the average taking of vitamins resulted into 35 % less macular degeneration patients, they say. ß- carotene, vitamin C and E as well as zinc were most suitable to prevent a macular degeneration. The result of the study points also out that a healthy way of eating would have the same effect as taking vitamins. Basically it seems to make sense to supply oneself with the needed vitamins and minerals through mainly a healthy nutrition in order to influence a progressing macular degeneration positively respectively to prevent a macular degeneration right from the start.
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What should I eat if I suffer from macular degeneration?

It is said the following are the food recommended: Due to the high zinc the following is recommended: β-carotenes and Vitamin C can be found in: Lutein you find in: Already in 1998 the German Society for Nutrition has started the campaign „5-a-day: 5 times daily fruits and vegetable“ in order to motivate the Germans to eat healthier. Of course not everybody is able to follow this recommendation all the time but our research shows that a healthy nutrition can help influence a progressing macular degeneration.
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