Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid showed positive results in a study consisting of a total of 5,442 women aged 40 and older with either a history of heart disease or at least three risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
William G. Christen of Brigham an
d Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and his colleagues, found women who adhered to taking the three nutritional supplements experienced a 34 percent lower risk of any type of AMD and a 41 percent lower risk of visually significant AMD.
"From a public health perspective, this is particularly important because persons with early AMD are at increased risk of developing advanced AMD, the leading cause of severe, irreversible vision loss in older Americans," according to the researchers.
According to the study, the beneficial effects occurred in the participants after two years and "persisted throughout the trial."
While all three nutrients can be found in food sources, some women may find it easier to get the vitamins from nutritional supplements.
© Copyright