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Macular Degeneration Not Slowed by Fish Oil

Macular degeneration remains a leading cause of blindness among older citizens. A study two decades ago showed that supplementation with a particular mix of vitamins and minerals could slow the progression of this condition. Now a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that adding omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil supplements does not improve the results obtained with the original formula.

More than 4,000 volunteers over age 50 participated in the five-year study. The original formula had contained beta-carotene, and safety issues have surfaced about this nutrient in the years since the first study. So the scientists also tested the alternate carotenoids lutein and xeazanthin in place of beta-carotene. These seemed to work just as well, though that finding is based on analysis of a smaller group of patients in the study. It should be studied more thoroughly before lutein and xeazanthin are routinely included in supplements for slowing macular degeneration.

 [Journal of the American Medical Association, May 15, 2013]   

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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