Fish-oil pills and supplements of lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients found in many fruits and green leafy vegetables, don't boost the effectiveness of a popular vitamin and mineral combination previously found to help fight macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness.
More than a decade ago researchers showed that people with macular degeneration who took a supplement containing vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for five years cut the risk of having the disease progress 25 percent. Since then, observational research has suggested that dietary intake of omega-3s as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are nutrients called carotenoids, might further reduce the risk.
To find out, a multi-center team led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health's National Eye Institute studied 4,203 people at high risk of progression to advanced macular degeneration. All of them took the original formulation (or variations containing less zinc and/or or no beta carotene) as well as fish oil pills, the carotenoids, both, or a placebo.
In all, 1,608 of the subjects progressed to advanced disease, no matter which added treatment they took. In addition, there was no apparent effect of beta carotene elimination or lower-dose zinc on progression to advanced AMD. However, there were more lung cancers noted in the beta carotene vs. no beta carotene group (2 percent vs. 0.9 percent), mostly in former smokers. The study was published online in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, on May 5, 2013.
Bottom line. If you have macular degeneration, talk with your eye doctor about the benefits and risks of taking a supplement. Otherwise, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables plus some meat, whole grains, dairy, and fish is the best dietary way to protect your eyes against macular degeneration. Indeed, studies linking nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin to better eye health have looked at intake from food. Read about the drugs used to treat macular degeneration. And while fish oil pills might not help protect your eyes, there are still some other reasons to consider the supplements. See our buying guide to fish oil pills.
