Publication Excerpts

Chicago Tribune Parade Section, September 1998

"Eat your fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in both seems to protect the eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration. Best are green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and collard greens."

"Macular degeneration is a nutrition-responsive disease and not hopeless."

"Although antioxidant nutrients, in general, protect against macular degeneration, the most recent evidence suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin are the most critical nutrients."

"In addition, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are yellow, filter out visible blue light, which can cause free-radical damage in the eye."

"Whatever the mechanism, increasing the consumption of dark green, leafy vegetables appears to be a good idea in general for protecting against macular degeneration."

"There is increasing speculation that dietary factors, particularly antioxidants, may prevent or impede the progression of age-related macular degeneration."

"...individuals consuming the highest levels of carotenoids had a statistically significant 43-percent lower risk for AMD compared with those who consumed the lowest levels."

"As it turns out, the role of lutein and zeaxanthin makes sense, these nutrients are concentrated in the macula, ..."

"These findings suggest that carotenoids, especially lutein/zeaxanthin, which are found primarily in leafy green vegetables, may be protective against the advanced stages of age-related macular degeneration."

"There is increasing speculation that dietary factors, particularly antioxidants, may prevent or impede the progression of macular degeneration."

"So far, diet looks like the only promising way to thwart the onset of this disease called macular degeneration."

"The maximum reduction in risk was 80 percent.."

"--lutein and zeaxanthin--are most strongly associated with a reduction in risk."

"It is possible that the damage (from ARMD ) could be prevented or moderated by supplementing the diet with specific antioxidant vitamins and minerals that enhance the body's natural defense against free radicals. It seems reasonable to suggest supplementation to most or all patients."

"But recent research has produced very encouraging news: a high consumption of certain vitamins and minerals -...- may reduce the risk, not only of cataracts, but of macular degeneration as well."

"Findings from this multi center study support the possibility that an increased intake of dietary antioxidants, specifically carotenoids, may reduce the risk for advanced AMD, the form of the disease associated with the most severe vision loss."

"After adjusting for other risk factors, individuals consuming the highest levels of carotenoids had a statistically significant 43% lower risk for AMD..."

"Of all the carotenoid fractions evaluated, the combination of lutein and zeaxanthin was most strongly associated with AMD."