5 Vitamins a Day to Keep Macular Degeneration at Bay

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is a common disease that many people suffer from as they age. If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you’ve no doubt been introduced to this condition before. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with AMD recently, things might feel hopeless. After all, a slow decline in vision doesn’t sound ideal to anyone. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to slow the progression of AMD. One of the best things, in fact, is to add specific supplements for macular degeneration to your daily routine.

Now, adjusting your diet and/or taking vitamins every day to fix chronic blurred vision or blindness sounds almost too good to be true, right? It can’t be as easy as taking some eye health supplements for AMD. Well, we’re happy to tell you that it actually is that easy! Many people have had success in restoring some of their vision lost to AMD through adjusting their nutrient and supplement intake.

AMD has even been classified as a nutrition-responsive disease by the National Eye Institute, which gives new meaning to the age-old adage, “you are what you eat.”

Adding just a few simple vitamins to your routine, whether through food or through a supplement, can make a big difference in your vision long term. However, remember to always talk to your doctor before embarking on a new regimen. These are some of the best supplements for macular degeneration that you can consult your doctor about.

 1. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is well known for its use in supporting our immune systems. And, it’s also vital to our eye health! Vitamin C is used by our eyes to build healthy ocular blood vessels. AREDS/AREDS2 clinical trials found that when you take vitamin C in conjunction with other antioxidant vitamins like A, E, and zinc, you can reduce the progression of macular degeneration by as much as 25 percent. Taking these AREDS supplements for macular degeneration clearly has a big impact.

Oranges are perhaps the most well-known source of vitamin C. However, you can also get it from spinach and tomatoes. Eating more of these fruits and veggies will have a big impact on both your visual and your overall health.

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant thought to protect the cells of our eyes by breaking down toxic free radicals before they can cause damage. Studies have shown that including Vitamin E, along with other vitamins and minerals, can reduce your chance of developing age-related macular degeneration. However, it’s important to note that these results are context-dependent, and so more research needs to be done to fully understand the vitamin’s role in eye health.

There are actually eight different forms of vitamin E that our bodies use, but most supplements only include one variant. This is why it’s best to get vitamin E primarily from your diet.

Spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, peanut butter, olives, blueberries, and mangos are all great sources of vitamin E. Whether you throw them in a smoothie or enjoy them on their own, there is a lot you can do to preserve and improve your vision through incorporating these foods into your diet.

3. Beta Carotene or Vitamin A

Vitamin A, or beta carotene, is one of the best vitamins you can take for your vision because it helps protect the surface of your eyes. Because of this, taking enough vitamin A can also reduce your symptoms and incidence of AMD. Carrots are the most well-known source of this vitamin, but other vegetables and fruits also contain it.

You can also get vitamin A from liver, eggs, and spinach. Because vitamin A is so beneficial to the human body, it is also often added to the milk we drink. A good rule of thumb is that the more highly pigmented, or colorful, the leafy green or orange fruit or vegetable is, the more vitamin A it contains. Adding more of this excellent supplement for macular degeneration will do wonders for your eye health, both now and in the future.

4. Lutein and Zeaxanthin

This dynamic duo of vitamins are some of the best nutrients to slow the progression of macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that are found in the retina of our eyes and in highly pigmented vegetables. They work together as a pair to absorb light to prevent damage.

Some traces of lutein and zeaxanthin are also found in the eye’s macula and the lens. These two parts of the eye are often affected by disease and loss of vision because they are two sensitive parts of the eye. Lutein and zeaxanthin benefits for macular degeneration include slowing the progression of the disease by strengthening the macula as it ages.

4. Zinc

Zinc is defined as an essential trace mineral. It’s another nutrient we often turn to when we are sick. It is also responsible for ensuring that vitamin A travels from our livers all the way to our retinas. Zinc has been shown to reduce the progression of macular degeneration because it works so well in conjunction with the other nutrients for macular health that we’ve discussed so far. And, because it is a trace mineral, our bodies can’t produce it on their own. This is why it’s so important to get enough zinc in our systems through diet.

Oysters are one of the best natural sources of zinc; however, you can also find zinc in beef, eggs, bran flakes, yogurt, and lobster. If you choose a supplement instead of gaining this mineral from natural foods, make sure the supplement also includes copper. This will ensure it is bioavailable enough to join the ranks of the best supplements for macular degeneration.

5. Copper

Like zinc, it’s important to increase your intake of copper when taking the other nutrients on this list. This is because high levels of zinc can result in a copper deficiency. If you don’t get enough copper, it can lead to an increased risk of infections and even anemia. While our bodies normally need only very small amounts of copper to function properly, it is still an essential mineral. Copper acts in our body as an antioxidant that encourages the flexibility of the tissues in the eye. As we age, our eyes lose flexibility, just as the rest of our body often does. Copper is also necessary for proper brain function.

Some natural sources of copper include liver, oysters, eggs, and dark green leafy vegetables. However, because the amounts found in natural food sources are low, you may need to add a supplement to your regimen.

The Rebuild Your Vision Ocu-Plus Formula

No one wants to start their day by taking a handful of vitamins, especially if they are already taking other medications on a daily basis. Taking five different supplements for macular degeneration every day may not be your cup of tea. So, we at Rebuild Your Vision created an all-inclusive supplement that will help you get all of these nutrients (and more).

The Rebuild Your Vision Ocu-Plus Formula is a premium, high-quality product, which means that your body can process and use the nutrients in our formula safely and easily. Rest assured that our nutrients are all-natural and preservative-free. Our Ocu-Plus formula contains all of the eye vitamins for macular degeneration in the above list. Plus, it contains 12 more vitamins and herbs that may just help you prevent everything from dry eyes to cataracts.

Strong, healthy eyes are a necessity if you want to enjoy your life. The link between nutrition and macular degeneration is clear: better nutrition will lead to better, disease-free vision in the long run. Just because we’re getting older doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see and experience each day to the fullest.