Insights & Discussion
Greater intake of blueberries considerably decreases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, while a remarkable dietary intake of anthocyanins inversely correlates with cataract incidents.
Middle-aged and older women, numbering 36,653 and 35,402 originally without cataract and AMD, provided data for the study via semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. Insights were derived on the consumption of blueberries by these women, with frequency varied from none to over two servings weekly. Additionally, total anthocyanin consumption was analysed, with major subclasses adjusted for energy and then into quintiles. Self-reported risk factors for eye diseases were adjusted in the multivariable hazard ratios.
On analysis, it was found that a significant portion of participants consumed a minimum of one serving of blueberries weekly. Thus, compared to no blueberry intake, it was observed that those consuming the fruit exhibited a decrease in the total instances of AMD, while visually significant AMD remained unaffected. Furthermore, dietary anthocyanin showed a modest yet significant inverse association with cataract occurrences, but no notable correlation with AMD.
Discover Related Insights
Anthocyanin supplements improve vision health by relaxing ciliary muscles, regenerating rhodopsin, and enhancing retinal blood circulation.
2019 Molecules Therapeutic Effects of Anthocyanins for Vision and Eye Health Nomi , Iwasaki-Kurashige , Matsumoto
Clinical Study Anthocyanins Eye Health Vision
The methodology of this review involved studying the effects of Anthocyanin, a supplement popular for eye health. Despite the low bioavailability of Anthocyanin, the supplement is reported to appear in intact form and in various metabolites. The review observes how Anthocyanin crosses barriers within the blood to reach the ocular area. The study also performed an in vitro analysis to comprehend how Anthocyanin impacts the ciliary muscles of the eye, crucial in treating vision conditions like myopia and glaucoma.
Findings of the review reveal that Anthocyanin also stimulates the reformation of rhodopsin in the rod outer segment of frogs. The compound further demonstrated how to control eye elongation in a model of chick myopia induced by a negative lens. Ultimately, the review consolidated multiple clinical studies that provide evidence for the improvement of dark adaptation and transient myopic shift following intake of Anthocyanin. The supplement notably improves retinal blood circulation among patients with normal tension glaucoma.