Diet or Vitamins for AMD?

Patients with AMD often ask me if it is better to get the AREDS vitamins through diet or by taking vitamins. Most epidemiological studies have shown that diets high in vitamin C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc protect against the development and progression of AMD. An excellent study from the Netherlands reported recently that people who ingested higher than the median (the top 50%) amounts of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc had a 35% reduced risk of AMD compared to those who had ingested lower than the median (the bottom 50%) amounts of these micronutrients. This 35% risk reduction compares favorably with the 25% risk reduction of the progression of AMD found in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study.

The daily dose of the supplements in the AREDS was: vitamin C 500mg; vitamin E 400 IU; beta-carotene 15mg; zinc 80mg; and copper 2mg. These are high amounts that may be difficult to obtain through diet alone. The study from the Netherlands calculated that the mean amount of vitamin E ingested daily by the highest quarter of people in their study was only 30 IU. This may mean that the high doses used in the AREDS aren’t necessary to reduce the risk of progression of AMD. It is also difficult to obtain the high doses used in the AREDS (especially the vitamin E and zinc) through diet alone.

So what should you do? I would eat a diet rich in these antioxidants and zinc (blog August 23, 2005). I would also take supplements that contain the AREDS doses. There is some concern that high doses of vitamin E may increase mortality and that the zinc doses used in AREDS were higher than necessary. Therefore if you take the AREDS supplements, you could take half of the usual vitamin and zinc dose one day each week while taking the full dose the other six days. This would work out about right. I would not though, eat a poor diet, and expect the AREDS supplements to take care of any deficiency. Your mother was right – eat your vegetables.

Reference:

1. van Leeuwen R., Boekhoorn S, Vingerling JR, Witteman JCM, Klaver CCW, Hofman A, de Jong PTVM. Dietary Intake of Antioxidants and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. JAMA 2005; 294(24):3101-3107.

AUTHORS GIVE AWAY THE SECRET TO PROTECTING YOUR SIGHT

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Doan, MD, PhD
Phone: 310-928-3578
E-mail: adoan@medrounds.org

http://www.medrounds.org/protect-your-sight/

James C. Folk, M.D. and Mark E. Wilkinson, O.D. publish their book, Protect Your Sight: How to Save Your Vision in the Epidemic of Age-Related Macular Degeneration, in a unique way

Iowa City authors and professors in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa, James C. Folk, M.D. and Mark E. Wilkinson, O.D., have signed a contract with Free Educational Publications International (F.E.P) to publish their book Protect Your Sight: How to Save Your Vision in the Epidemic of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. It has been published in electronic form at http://www.medrounds.org/protect-your-sight/ where the entire book can be accessed and read for free.

Drs. Folk and Wilkinson are experts in the field of macular degeneration, and they are not being paid by anyone to recommend anything. They treat patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) almost every day, perform research that explores the causes of AMD, attend scientific meetings, participate in treatment trials, and promise to tell you the straight scoop. They will tell you what scientists and doctors all over the world know about this disease, and, just as importantly, what they don’t know. The first three chapters describe AMD along with the latest science which yields clues to what causes it. You need to understand the disease in order to fight it. The last six chapters tell how you can fight back to save your vision. They will talk about changing your lifestyle, eating the right foods, and taking multivitamins with zinc along with other medications which may reduce the risk of vision loss. They will discuss the latest treatments for the wet form of AMD, including new ones that have not yet been approved but show promise. They will also talk about how to maximize your remaining vision and live as full a life as possible. You can fight back to save your sight. Drs. Folk and Wilkinson will tell you how.

Just as innovative as Drs. Folk’s and Wilkinson’s book is their new method of publishing. The company that they have partnered with, Free Educational Publications International, creates a website for an author to post their educational books at no cost. Medical books are published quickly with current information. Additionally, comments and questions are posted directly on the website, which facilitate interactions between readers and the authors. Readers can support the author by simply visiting the site and reading the book. Advertising generates royalties for the authors. If the reader prefers to read a hardcopy book as opposed to the digital form, they may purchase the hardcopy form from the site.

Because of the high cost of traditional publishing the profit for the author is surprisingly small, averaging around five to ten percent of the retail price. F.E.P. has lower overhead, and is therefore able to give a greater percentage of the profit to the author. In addition to reading the book online and purchasing the hardcopy, those who benefit from the book can support the author by shopping in the authors’ online mall, which is set up through www.myfundrazor.org. MyFundRazor is an innovative way for supporters to generate income for a person, organization, or cause simply by shopping online with stores they would normally shop with. The companies in this easy-to-use online shopping mall give a commission for purchases or registrations to the organization that the mall is linked to.

If you would like more information or would like to schedule an interview with Drs. James Folk or Mark Wilkinson, please contact Andrew Doan of Free Educational Publications International, phone 310-928-3578, email adoan@medrounds.org, or visit http://www.medrounds.org/protect-your-sight/.
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