Healthy Living
Lycopene - Macular Degeneration
By David Perlmutter, MD, FACN
In a recent report by the National Society To Prevent Blindness, age related macular degeneration was described as being the number one cause of blindness in older adults. Unfortunately, our advanced medical armamentarium has little to offer for patients with macular degeneration. As the Yellow Emperor stated in the 4th Century B.C., "Prevention is the ultimate principle of wisdom." But can macular degeneration actually be prevented? A report published in the December, 1995 issue of The Archives of Opthamology entitled, Serum Antioxidants and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Population -Based Case-Control Study revealed a direct relationship between a certain group of antioxidant vegetable derived vitamins and macular degeneration. This study was designed to evaluate the relationships between levels of vitamins E and the carotenoids in patients with macular degeneration and those without.
The results were very interesting. The researchers found that patients with the lowest levels of lycopene, a carotenoid, were twice as likely to have macular degeneration. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant found in a variety of vegetables. Tomatoes and tomato based products are rich sources of lycopene. In addition, lycopene is now found as an additive to various health food supplements. Lycopene has also been characterized as an important reason why tomato consumption is associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer.
An important point to remember is that generally one antioxidant given alone is not an effective approach since the antioxidants work in concert. Therefore, a good antioxidant program should certainly include a variety of carotenoids as derived from eating a well balanced meal rich in colorful vegetables as well as supplementation with selenium, vitamin E, vitamin C, and alpha lipoic acid. It is certainly useful to have this information so that you can design a program for yourself to maximize health and prevent illness. But the information most useful to you would be an answer to the question, "How much of a particular vitamin or nutrient is right for me?" Indeed, when medical writers talk about a typical adult dosage of a certain vitamin, it is a generalization. Vitamin and nutrient needs vary profoundly depending on a variety of factors including
- Lifestyle: People who smoke or consume alcohol require higher levels of vitamin C and B complex. High level exercise demands higher levels of antioxidants.
- Chronic Illness: Various illnesses place special demands on our bodies, depleting us of various nutritional resources. Essential fatty acids are known to be helpful in multiple sclerosis. Alpha lipoic acid has been shown to be very helpful in diabetics, especially in those with painful nerve conditions. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis all demand special attention with respect to creating a nutritional program.
- Absorption: Despite a "healthful" diet and the use of appropriate nutritional supplements, some individuals because of digestive abnormalities may not be absorbing nutrients and/or supplements appropriately to provide optimum levels. In addition, once absorbed, various nutrients are activated by enzyme systems. This activity may vary from person to person for genetic reasons.
Fortunately, a new comprehensive laboratory analysis is now available to determine levels of a variety of vitamins and in addition measure the effectiveness of the body's antioxidants. SpectraCell Laboratories provides the Essential Metabolics Analysis, evaluating vitamin and nutrient levels, as well as the Spectrox evaluation of antioxidant function. These evaluations take the guess work out of deciding upon nutritional supplements as they provide not only a clear understanding of the levels of important vitamins and nutrients but also the degree of antioxidant activity, so important in reducing age related degenerative diseases like macular degeneration.
These simple blood tests can be performed by any physician, and the results are invaluable. For more information about these evaluations, call SpectraCell at (800) 227-5227.