what are the most important vitamins for maintaining eye health?
What are the best foods that contain those vitamins?
Do you need to take supplements to obtain enough of those vitamins for your eye health?
Welcome to part two of the video series about the best vitamins for eye health.
In case you missed part 1 of this video series, you can find it here by clicking this link
above.
Hello everyone This is Dr Audrey Tai, I'm a board-certified and fellowship trained Cataract
and refractive surgeon, ophthalmologist and cornea specialist, welcome back to my channel
- eye Channel by eye surgeon.
I am here to bring you the latest information on eye health and medicine.
I also have a Masters degree in nutrition, and today’s topic is a particular interest
of mine.
In today’s video, I will cover the 2nd part of the most important vitamins for maintaining
our eye health, the best foods that will provide those vitamins, and when and what supplements
you need to take to maintain eye health.
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of my new videos.
Number four: B vitamins B vitamins are a family of water-soluble vitamins
that are essential for maintaining eye health.
They include thiamine or vitamin B1, riboflavin or vitamin B2, niacin or vitamin B3, pyridoxine
or vitamin B6, Folate or B9 and cobalamin or B12.
In a randomized double masked, placebo controlled study published in 2009 in the Journal “archives
of internal medicine,” the authors observed women at high risk of cardiovascular disease
for 7.3 years to see if daily supplementation with folic acid, B6 and B12 would reduce the
risk of macular degeneration.
They found that when compared to the placebo group, subjects who took 50 mg per day of
vitamin B6 , 1 mg per day of vitamin B12, and 2.5 mg per day of folic acid, had a 34%
risk reduction of age-related macular degeneration or AMD development.
Of course more research is needed to confirm the benefits of Vitamin B supplements, but
this study is very encouraging.
The study’s authors hypothesized that the benefit from vitamin B 6 and 9 is caused by
reducing the level of homocysteine in the blood.
Elevated homocysteine levels have been reported to cause damage to the cells lining the blood
vessels, called endothelial cells, as well as cause increased inflammation that could
potentially increase the risk of vascular disease affecting the small blood vessels
in the eye.
The idea is that by reducing homocysteine levels, those vitamin B supplements can potentially
lower the risk of developing eye diseases like macular degeneration by protecting the
small blood vessels in our eyes.
In addition, vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining the health of the optic nerve.
Vitamin B-12 Deficiency is associated with a painless and progressive form of vision
loss called ‘optic neuropathy,’ which can lead to permanent blindness if untreated.
I've listed the recommended dietary allowance , RDA, for each vitamin B in this table.
So what are the foods that are rich in B vitamins?
In general, meats such as poultry, beef and fish, plant based food such as fortified cereals,
nuts, beans and whole grains are typically high in some B vitamins, such as thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin, B6, and folate.
Foods that are rich in B12 include fish such as tuna and salmon, beef, and fortified cereals.
So do you need to take vitamin B supplements for eye health?
Most people who eat a balanced diet with meats, vegetables and whole grains, do not need to
take specific supplements for B vitamins.
But people who have a history of bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass surgery, those
with chronic intestinal malabsorption diseases, people who consume large amount of alcohol
daily, pregnant women, and people with certain dietary restrictions such as a vegan diet
should consider taking vitamin B supplements if they cannot meet the recommended RDA from
their diet alone.
I’ve listed a few recommended multivitamin supplements with good Vitamin B contents in
the description below.
You can check them out.
Number five: Vitamin C Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is
an important water-soluble vitamin for our eyes.
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, which is an important structural
building block for the eye.
The cornea and the crystalline lens of the eye both contain a large amount of collagen
fibers.
Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant in protecting our eyes from damage by oxidative
stress, and exposure to toxins, such as pollutants like cigarette smoke.
Compared to most other organs, the eye is particularly susceptible to oxidative damage
due to its high exposure to UV light and its high metabolism.
Several studies have shown that getting at least 140 mg per day of vitamin C is protective
against cataract formation.
The AREDS 2 study by the National Eye Institute, NEI, showed that vitamin C can also help slow
the progression of age related macular degeneration, and included vitamin C in the AERDS 2 formula
that is recommend for people with moderate to severe stage of AMD.
Foods that are rich in vitamin C include fruits, such as oranges, papayas and strawberries,
and vegetables such as broccoli.
So, Do you need to take vitamin C supplements?
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 75 mg/day for women and 90 mg/day
for men.
Studies have reported that the average intake of vitamin C from foods in the US for men
and women over 50 years of age is about 93 and 88 milligrams per day, respectively.
Therefore, people who eat a diet that's high in fruits and vegetables, do not need to take
a separate vitamin C supplement.
But if you have dietary restrictions or certain digestive diseases, such as inflammatory bowel
disease, it is a good idea to take a daily multivitamin containing adequate Vitamin C.
Number six: Vitamin E vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which functions
as a major antioxidant in our body.
Tocopherol is the major form of vitamin E in our body, and it is also the chemical form
of vitamin E found in supplements.
Vitamin E is essential for maintaining the health of the cells in our body by combating
oxidative stress.
It is especially important for maintaining the health of the retina, as the retina contains
a high concentration of fatty acids.
Vitamin E and vitamin C have a synergistic effect in our eyes- studies have found that
they work together to protect our eyes from damaging free radical oxidation.
The AREDS2 formula contains both vitamin C and Vitamin E for this reason.
Some examples of foods that are high in vitamin E are nuts and seeds, such as almonds, sunflower
seeds and peanuts.
The RDA for vitamin E is 15 milligrams/day of αlpha-tocopherol for both women and men.
The average intake of vitamin E from foods in the US for men and women over 50 years
of age is 8.6 and 7.3 milligrams /day, respectively.
If your dietary intake of vitamin E is lower than the RDA amount, I’d recommend taking
a daily multivitamin containing vitamin E. It is important to keep in mind that vitamin
E can interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners, chemotherapy drugs, and
some lipid lowering drugs.
Please consult with your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements.
I've listed all of the recommended vitamin supplements for eye health in the description
below, so you can check them out.
Please always remember to consult with your doctor before taking any high-dose vitamin
supplements to make sure they're safe and right for you.
Let me know in the comments below if you would like me to make more videos in the future
about natural foods that can improve your eye health.
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