A mouse study adds to the evidence that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids could help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Age-related macular degeneration, loss of vision in the center of the visual field (macula) due to retinal damage, is one of the leading causes of legal blindness among the elderly. Approximately 10% of people from 66 to 74 years of age will develop some level of macular degeneration, making it difficult for them to read or even recognize faces.
Current research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids could help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids has been found to protect against a variety of diseases including atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Retrospective studies have suggested that diets high in fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids may also contribute to protection against age-related macular degeneration.
A group of researchers led by Dr. Chi-Chao Chan at the National Eye Institute examined the direct effect of omega-3 fatty acids on a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration. A diet with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids resulted in slower lesion progression, with improvement in some lesions. These mice had lower levels of inflammatory molecules and higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, which may explain this protective effect.
The researchers suggest that “a diet enriched in EPA and DHA can ameliorate the progression of retinal lesions in their mouse model of age-related macular degeneration” and that “the results in these mice are in line with the epidemiological studies of age-related macular degeneration risk reduction by long chain n-3 fatty acids.” The results “further provide the scientific basis for the application of omega-3 fatty acids and their biologically active derivatives in the prevention and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.”
References:
1. Tuo J, Ross RJ, Herzlich AA, Shen D, Ding X, Zhou M, Coon SL, Hussein N, Salem Jr N, Chan C-C. A high omega-3 fatty acid diet reduces retinal lesions in a murine model of macular degeneration. Am J Pathol 2009 175: 799-807.
