Antioxidants Substantially Lower Macular Degeneration Risk

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that individuals whose diets contain high amounts of the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc have a significantly lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than people whose diets contain lower levels of the nutrients. The Age-Related Eye Disease study (AREDS) found that supplements containing 5 to 13 times the recommended daily allowance of these nutrients slowed the progression of the disease.

Dietary levels of beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc from both food and supplements that were above the median of the total participants' intake were associated with a 35 percent lower risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Further study information is here.