May 12, 2003 – In addition to all the health benefits we already know, here is that omega-3 fatty acids also protect against two eye disorders.
At first, these acids appear to protect from the ravages of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. In studying more than 4,500 people between the ages of 60 and 80, the researchers found that those who ate fish more than twice a week were 50% less likely to have the disease than people who didn’t. never ate it. Similarly, subjects who ate fish once a week reduced their risk by a third.
The exact nature of the protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids in this case is unclear, but researchers know that one component of these acids, DHA, accumulates primarily near photosensitive cells.
Then, researchers at Harvard University used the Nurses Health Study to try to determine if these acids could also prevent keratoconjunctivitis sicca, a problem better known as dry eye syndrome.
They found that women who consume the most omega-3 fatty acids are the least likely to suffer from the problem, and vice versa. Tuna would be particularly effective: women who ate between two and four servings per week were 18% less at risk than those who ate less, while women who ate five or six servings weekly reduced their risk by 66%.
The results of these two studies were presented at a conference of the Association for Research in Vision and Opthalmology, but have not been published.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to WebMD, May 8, 2003.