Age-Related Macular Degeneration

New Analysis Confirms Benefit of Supplements for Slowing Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Substituting lutein and zeaxanthin for beta-carotene in a dietary supplement that slows the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increased the supplement’s effectiveness and reduced the risk of lung cancer due to beta-carotene, according to a follow-up analysis of a large clinical trial. This new report, which analyzed 10 years of data from Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), was funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

AMD, the most common cause of blindness in older Americans, is a degenerative disease of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Progressive death of retinal cells in the macula, the part of the retina that provides clear central vision, eventually leads to blindness. Treatment can slow or reverse vision loss; however, no cure for AMD exists.

The original Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), launched in 1996, showed that a dietary supplement formula of 500 mg vitamin C, 400 international units vitamin E, 2 mg copper, 80 mg zinc, and 15 mg beta-carotene could significantly slow the progression of AMD from moderate to late disease. However, two concurrent but unrelated studies revealed that people who smoked and took beta-carotene supplements had a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

The AREDS2 clinical trial, which began in 2006, compared a formula with 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin in place of beta-carotene with the original beta-carotene formulation. Because beta-carotene had been shown to be harmful to smokers, formulations containing beta-carotene were given only to people who had never smoked or who had quit smoking. At the completion of the 5-year study period, all participants were provided the AREDS2 supplements with lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, and zinc plus copper.

For this new analysis, 3,883 of the original 4,203 AREDS2 participants were contacted by phone between December 1, 2012, and December 31, 2018. The researchers collected information on whether the participants’ AMD had progressed to late disease and whether they had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Although all participants had switched to the lutein and zeaxanthin formula at the end of the trial, the follow-up study showed that beta-carotene nearly doubled the risk of lung cancer for those who had ever smoked and there was no increased risk of lung cancer in those receiving lutein and zeaxanthin. Furthermore, after 10 years, the group originally assigned to receive lutein and zeaxanthin had an additional 20 percent reduced risk for late AMD progression compared to those who received beta-carotene. The researchers who conducted the new analysis concluded that lutein and zeaxanthin are an appropriate replacement for beta-carotene that is safe and effective for long-term use.

Reference

Chew EY, Clemons TE, Agrón E, et al. Long-term outcomes of adding lutein/zeaxanthin and ω-3 fatty acids to the AREDS supplements on age-related macular degeneration progression: AREDS2 Report 28. JAMA Ophthalmology. June 2, 2022. [Epub ahead of print].

Comments

World’s ‘best’ vaccines could soon come to poor countries

Health World’s ‘best’ vaccines could soon come to poor countries -By Vishnu /11/5/21 In the 6 months since Covid vaccines became available, those based on mRNA technology have scored top marks. So far, there are only two – made by Pfizer and Moderna – and both show 95% efficacy. Other types of vaccines are usually 80% or less efficacious. This difference affects not only the protection you get as an individual but also the protection available to the ‘herd’ or society. With a better vaccine a country can reach ‘herd immunity’ faster by vaccinating fewer people. But mRNA vaccines are still confined to the rich world. This is partly because supply is limited and those countries placed their orders first. Another reason is these vaccines get spoilt if they are not stored at extremely cold temperatures. The Pfizer shot initially required storage at -80°C. Poor countries couldn’t afford to buy specialised freezers for it in bulk. A fragile molecule Why do mRNA vaccines need ultra-cold stora

WORLD ASTHMA DAY 2021

Health WORLD ASTHMA DAY 2021 Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions World Asthma Day (WAD) (May 5, 2021) is organized by the Global Initiative for Asthma, (GINA) ( www.ginasthma.org ), a World Health Organization collaborative organization founded in 1993. WAD is held each May to raise awareness of Asthma worldwide. WHO recognizes that asthma is of major public health importance. According to WHO, it was estimated that more than 339 million people had Asthma globally (1) and there were 417,918 deaths due to asthma at the global level in 2016. (3, 4) Although asthma cannot be cured, it is possible to manage asthma to reduce and prevent asthma attacks, also called episodes or exacerbations. 1 This year’s World Asthma Day theme is “Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions”. The theme provides a call to action to address common widely held myths and misconceptions concerning asthma that prevent persons with asthma from enjoying optimal benefit from the major advances in the management of this condition

Nutrition Facts

What Is Dragon Fruit and Does It Have Health Benefits Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Though people primarily enjoy it for its unique look and taste, evidence suggests it may provide health benefits as well. This article takes a look at dragon fruit, including its nutrition, benefits, and how to eat it. Share on Pintere What Is Dragon Fruit? Dragon fruit grows on the Hylocereus cactus, also known as the Honolulu queen, whose flowers only open at night. The plant is native to southern Mexico and Central America. Today, it is grown all over the world. It goes by many names, including pitaya, pitahaya, and strawberry pear. The two most common types have bright red skin with green scales that resemble a dragon — hence the name. The most widely available variety has white pulp with black seeds, though a less common type with red pulp and black seeds exists as well. Another variety — referred to as yellow dragon fruit — has yellow sk

Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep

Health Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep Anatomy of Sleep Sleep Stages Sleep mechanisms How Much Sleep Do You Need? Dreaming The Role of Genes and Neurotransmitters Tracking Sleep Through Smart Technology Tips for Getting a Good Night's Sleep Hope Through Research Where can I get more information? Introduction Sleep is an important part of your daily routine—you spend about one-third of your time doing it. Quality sleep – and getting enough of it at the right times -- is as essential to survival as food and water. Without sleep you can’t form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories, and it’s harder to concentrate and respond quickly. Sleep is important to a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep. Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain tha

Fungal diseases

Health Fungal diseases About fungal diseases . Fungi are everywhere. Sometimes, they are too small to see with the naked eye. Fungi live: Outdoors, for example, in soil and on plants Indoors, on surfaces and in the air On people’s skin and inside the body There are millions of fungal species, but only a few hundred of them can make people sick. Molds, yeasts, and mushrooms are all types of fungi. Fungi can cause many different types of illnesses, including: Asthma or allergies. Learn more about mold and how it can affect your health. Rashes or infections on the skin and nails Lung infections (pneumonia), with symptoms similar to the flu or tuberculosis Bloodstream infections Meningitis Most common fungal diseases Fungal nail infections Common infections of the fingernails or toenails. Vaginal candidiasis Caused by the yeast Candida , also called a “vaginal yeast infection.” Ringworm A common fungal skin infection that often looks like a circular rash. Candida infections of the mo

Brain’s waste removal system

Health Brain’s waste removal system may offer path to better outcomes in Alzheimer’s therapy NIH-funded study in mice suggests lymphatic boost could help reduce amyloid buildup. Study of mouse brain shows the meningeal lymphatics system (purple and pink) could help reduce amyloid. Sandro Da Mesquita, Ph.D. Enhancing the brain’s lymphatic system when administering immunotherapies may lead to better clinical outcomes for Alzheimer’s disease patients, according to a new study in mice. Results published April 28 in Nature suggest that treatments such as the immunotherapies BAN2401 or aducanumab might be more effective when the brain’s lymphatic system can better drain the amyloid-beta protein that accumulates in the brains of those living with Alzheimer’s. Major funding for the research was provided by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and all study data is now freely available to the broader scientific community. “A broad ra

Health info / news/

Vexplorehealth Health Information News Helpful Tips for Managing Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious condition affecting 37 million U.S. adults and is often overlooked until symptoms appear. As we continue to observe National Kidney Month this March, learn how adopting a healthy lifestyle can help manage and slow the progression of CKD and its complications. Watch this video for tips to help people with CKD take charge of their kidney health.

Spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy Two-Month-Old Baby Battling Rare Disease To Receive World’s Most Expensive Injection Suffering from genetic spinal muscular atrophy, the baby is undergoing gene theray and will require an injection that costs Rs 16 Crores An eight-week-old baby in Britain will receive an injection that costs about Rs. 16 Crores, reports claimed. Suffering from genetic spinal muscular atrophy, Edward will have to be administered one type of gene therapy—Zolgensma to fight the rare disease. Since Britain imports the doses from the US and Europe, the injection costs a whooping a 1.7 million pounds. A disease unique to children, genetic spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), occurs due to lack of the SMN-1 gene. Symptoms of the disease include weakening of chest muscles which eventually leads to a difficulty in breathing. Interestingly, until 2017 there was no cure for the disease. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Download our Spinal Muscular Atrophy Fact Sheet Learn about MDA’s COVID-19 response W

Women crying: is it emotionally beneficial?

Do you know women will cry 4,680 times over in their adult life which is more than twice as much as men? Crying is a common human activity, and it can be triggered by many different emotions. But what do you think women crying is emotionally beneficial? According to the psychologist women are stereotypically associated with crying. It has benefit for both your mind and body. Check out all the health benefits of crying. Why do women crying have health benefits? It is said the women crying have benefit for both body and their mind. These crying benefits begin at birth with a baby’s first cry. Keep reading and learn more about the benefits of women crying. 1. Detoxifies body There are three different types of tears: Reflex tears Continuous tears Emotion tears Reflex tears are 98% water which clear debris like smoke and dust from your eyes. Emotional tears also contain stress hormones and toxins, while continuous tears also contain 98 per cent of water. When you cry, you are effectively d

Search This Blog