Guest guest Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Sight for Sore Eyes > Wed, 04 Aug 2004 08:10:01 -0400 > > Sight for Sore Eyes > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 04, 2004 > > ************************************************************** > Dear Reader, > > One of the most typical forms of vision loss is > age-related macular > degeneration, a disorder of the center of the > retina, called the > macula. As the name of the disorder implies, age is > the primary > risk factor, with people over 60 being at the > greatest risk. > > In previous e-Alerts I told you about nutrients and > supplements > that have been shown to reduce the risk of AMD. Now > new > evidence in two recent studies indicates that lutein > – an antioxidant > and one of the pigments in the macula – may not only > help prevent > AMD, but may also help improve visual function for > those with > early and even advanced AMD. > > --- > > Lutein cocktail > --- > > > In the first study, researchers at the Department of > Veterans' > Affairs, Medical Center Eye Clinic in Chicago, > recruited 90 > subjects with dry AMD. (There are two varieties of > the disorder: > dry AMD, and the more debilitating wet AMD in which > blood > vessels begin to grow in the macula.) > > As reported in the April 2004 issue of the journal > Optometry, the > subjects were divided into three groups and randomly > assigned to > receive 10 mg of lutein daily, or 10 mg of lutein > combined with > other nutrients that are known to enhance vision > health (such as > bilberry, zinc, quercetin, N-acetylcysteine, and > others), or a > placebo. > > Over a one-year test period, several measurements > were taken. > Changes in macular pigment optical density (MPOD) > were > recorded (low density of macular pigment is > considered a risk > factor for AMD); contrast sensitivity was evaluated; > and visual > perception was assessed with eye chart exams. > > At the end of the trial, the Chicago team found > clear improvements > in both the lutein and the lutein-plus-nutrients > group, but no > noteworthy changes in the placebo group. Most > significantly, even > subjects with advanced AMD showed improvement with > the > additional lutein intake. The researchers stress > that larger and > longer studies are needed to confirm their findings. > > > > Just in from Singapore > > > Another lutein study was reported last month in the > July issue of > the journal Experimental Eye Research. And although > this small, > brief study didn't exactly fit the scope of what the > Chicago team > called for in the conclusion to their research, it > still serves to > confirm the effectiveness of lutein for patients > with AMD. > > Singapore Polytechnic researchers tested a group of > seven older > subjects with early stage AMD, and six subjects of > the same age > with healthy eyesight. Each subject received 10 mg > of lutein > supplements daily for 18 to 20 weeks. > > Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and plasma > concentrations of lutein were measured before and > after the study. > The MPOD average increased significantly in both > groups as lutein > levels rose. Researchers concluded that even a > diseased macula > may accumulate and synthesize lutein effectively, > while people > with healthy macula reap benefits from lutein as > well. > > -------------------------------- > > The Popeye connection > -------------------------------- > > It's not really news that lutein is good for the > eyes. But the > emerging evidence that lutein may help restore > visual function in > those with AMD is very encouraging. The daily 10 mgs > of lutein > used in both the Chicago and Singapore studies can > be obtained in > just two ounces of spinach. Other good dietary > sources include > eggs, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, oranges, lettuce, > and celery. > Many supplemental formulas that support vision > health also > contain lutein. > > Of course, the best way to address AMD is to take > steps to prevent > it before it begins. In the e-Alert " Study Proves > Supplements can > Save your Sight " (10/18/01), I told you about a > clinical trial called > the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) sponsored > by the > National Eye Institute. For more than eight years, > researchers > tracked nearly 3,600 participants between the ages > of 55 and 80 to > examine the effects that antioxidant supplements > have on AMD. > > The results: High levels of zinc and antioxidants > were shown to > significantly reduce the risk of AMD, and the same > supplements (if > administered in the early stages of AMD) may also > significantly > inhibit the total amount of vision loss that would > normally be > caused by advanced AMD. > > The AREDS team recommended that anyone at high risk > of > developing AMD should consider taking the daily > supplements in > these amounts used in the study: > > * Vitamin C - 500 mg > * Vitamin E - 400 IU > * Beta-carotene - 15 mg > * Zinc (as zinc oxide) - 80 mg > * Copper (as cupric oxide) - 2 mg > > More than 800,000 new cases of AMD are diagnosed in > the U.S. > every year, but that number might be lowered > considerably if > everyone who's at high risk included more lutein in > their diets, > along with a few key supplements. > > ************************************************************** > ...and another thing > > It's not the heat... it's the humidity. > > And that's sort of the way it is with shingles: It's > not the shingles, > it's what comes after the shingles that causes so > much pain. > > In the e-Alert " Of All the Nerve " (7/19/04), I told > you that a case > of shingles may last just a little over a week, but > a condition called > post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) that lingers in the > wake of a bout > with shingles can cause considerable pain for quite > a long time. > > In response to that e-Alert, I received an e-mail > from a member > named Mrs. B. who found a way to cope with the > discomfort of > shingles and PHN. Mrs. B. writes: > > " The fastest, most reliable, most effective cure for > shingles is Olive > Leaf Extract taken as follows: Five 150 mg capsules, > or two 500 > mg capsules a day, taken with food. This will cure > shingles in as > few as 4 to 5 days for most of those who suffer with > it although for > very elderly patients it might take as long as a > week or two, but it > really works! It has been effective in every one I > have shared this > information with, including our medical doctor's > wife. > > " This is such a miserable, painful illness, please > share this info > with as many folks as you can. No one needs to > suffer more than a > few days with Shingles! " > > In the e-Alert " Be Afraid, be Very Afraid... " > (10/17/02), HSI > Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., discussed olive leaf > extract as one of > the natural alternatives to pharmaceutical > antibiotics. Dr. Spreen > notes that olive leaf extract has long been known > for its > antimicrobial properties, and has been officially > tested as an > antimicrobial agent, with sufficient power to > achieve a published > status in peer-review journals. And he adds, " Olive > leaf is even > well known as an antioxidant. I strongly recommend > keeping some > on hand. " > > If you've been diagnosed with shingles, talk to your > doctor, > nutritionist or naturopath about using olive leaf > extract. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************** > Sources: > " Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial > of Lutein > and Antioxidant Supplementation in the Intervention > of Atrophic > Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Veterans LAST > Study > (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial) " > Optometry, Vol. 75, > No. 4, April 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Seeing Is Believing: Supplement Helps Age-Related > Vision Loss " > Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Healthnotes Newswire, 4/22/04, > pccnaturalmarkets.com > " Plasma and Macular Responses to Lutein Supplement > in Subjects > With and Without Age-Related Maculopathy: A Pilot > Study " > Experimental Eye Research, Vol. 79, No. 1, July > 2004, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Lutein May Benefit More Elderly than Thought " > NutraIngredients.com, 7/27/04, nutraingredients.com > " The Effect of Antioxidant Vitamins and Zinc on > Age-Related > Macular Degeneration and Cataract " From the AREDS, > National > Eye Institute, October, 2002 > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. > The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites > without > written permission. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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