Vitamin E

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and vitamin E

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an aging change in the back of the eye that may lead to loss of the central vision. A study reported that the beneficial effect of antioxidants (vitamin C, 500 mg; vitamin E, 400 IU; beta carotene, 15 mg; and zinc, 80 mg as zinc oxide with 2 mg of cupric oxide) on the risk of AMD progression among Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) participants.  Investigators also examined the relationship between AMD, cataract and mortality. During a median follow-up of 6.5 years, 11% or 534 participants had died. This marked an increased mortality risk among participants with advanced AMD. However, participants randomly assigned to receive 80 mg zinc with 2 mg cupric oxide, whether alone or combined with antioxidants, had lower mortality than those not taking the mineral. They report a 27% lower relative risk of mortality for zinc alone, and a 12% lower relative risk for those who took zinc combined with beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. The beneficial effect of zinc on mortality was associated with less death from respiratory causes. (9)