A diet rich in vitamin C could reduce the risk of progression cataract a third, according to a study published in the journal Ophthalmology. This study is the first to show that diet and lifestyle may play a bigger role than genetics in the development of this visual disorder.
Researchers looked at data from more than 1,000 pairs of UK twins who responded to a questionnaire about their eating habits in order to track their intake of vitamin C, A, B as well as their intake of zinc, copper and manganese. An MRI was used to measure the opacity of the lens and the progression of the cataract, first at age 60, then ten years later.
In this study, intake of foods rich in vitamin C was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of cataracts. After ten years, the risk reduction was 33% in women consuming the most vitamin C.
Vitamin C prevents oxidation which darkens the lens
It is undoubtedly the antioxidant side of vitamin C which makes it possible to limit the progression of this eye disease. This is because the fluid inside the eye is normally rich in vitamin C, which helps prevent oxidation that obscures the lens. A large intake of vitamin C through the diet may increase the amount of fluid around the lens, thus providing additional protection. Note that the researchers, led by Prof. Christopher Hammond, professor of ophthalmology at King’s College London, were only interested invitamin C intake in food and not in the form of a food supplement.
“Although we may not yet be able to completely avoid suffering from cataracts, we may be able to delay its onset and prevent it from getting significantly worse with a diet rich in vitamin C.” stressed the doctor.
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