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How Can You Prevent the Most Common Cause of Blindness? Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of visual impairment in Western countries. It affects the central region of the retina, the macula lutea, at which visual acuity is the greatest. What is the macula? The macula is a small area just two millimeters wide, located in the back of the eye, in the middle portion of the retina. The center portion of the macula is referred to as the fovea, and it is responsible for central vision. (See diagram below.)
Imagine being unable to tell what time it is. Imagine being unable to recognize a loved one's face. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible blindness among Americans age 65 and older. Prevent Blindness America estimates that 13 million people in this country have evidence of AMD. For reasons scientists have yet to pinpoint, parts of the retina and the macula become diseased. As AMD progresses, tiny, fragile blood vessels begin to develop in the retina. These vessels often leak blood and fluid that damages the retina even further. Some warning signs of AMD: Blurred vision (may be the first symptom) Straight lines begin to appear crooked Dark or empty spaces may block central vision There is pigment in the macula that possibly acts as a blue-light filter to protect the macular region against oxidation by light. In addition, this macular pigment can scavenge free radicals. The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are the predominant pigments in this area. Some studies have shown a reduced risk of AMD in subjects with a higher intake of lutein and zeaxanthin or higher plasma concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. Ophthalmology, October 2002;109(10):1780-7. DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENTS: Lutein (LOO-teen) is a carotenoid found in vegetables and fruits. Lutein is just as important to health, or more so, than beta-carotene. Lutein acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells against the damaging effects of free radicals. Lutein is not made in the body. Lutein must be obtained from food or vitamin supplements. Lutein is found in large amounts in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach. In persons who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables, it has been found that the risk of age-related macular degeneration decreases some 43 percent. However, most Americans simply don't eat enough fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids, such as lutein. Ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you're not getting enough lutein in your diet. Lutein is easy to add to your diet if you eat plenty of spinach and other green, leafy vegetables. Every time you eat a spinach salad or a serving of kale or turnip greens, your body is getting high levels of lutein. The problem is that a lot of people don't like these foods or don't eat enough of them. So how do you get enough lutein in your diet? How much lutein is enough? Nutrition experts currently use 6 milligrams a day as a reliable guideline.
Lutein is one of over 650 carotenoids. Beta-carotene is probably the most famous of the carotenoids. The bioavailability of carotenoids is determined by the food source and interactions with other items in it. Studies with beta-carotene and lycopene have shown that association with a lipid matrix increases the bioavailability of these carotenoids. Carotenoids in the plant will decrease their bioavailability. That is why there is a difference in the table above in cooked vegetables having more lutein. However, when you break down the plant cell by decreasing food particle size as you do in juicing, you maximize the bioavailability of the carotenoids and all other nutrients-far more so than cooking. Unfortunately, most all of the nutrient databases don't acknowledge this, and there are no references that one can cite to demonstrate this. More... According to published research, Juice Plus+ increases the levels of lutein/xeaxanthin in the blood by 44%. "I take Juice Plus+ and recommend it to my patients to raise the levels of lutein in their blood." ~ Dr. Barry Bohn, Ophthalmologist, Lafayette, Louisiana To fully understand the difference between traditional vitamin/mineral supplements and whole food (including Juice Plus+) please watch the video featuring Dr. Richard DuBois below.
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