Dietary Nutrients Reduced Risk of AMD in Certain Genetic Variants
June 24, 2011
As the role of genetic variation in disease risk better understood, researchers can specifically investigate the ability of nutrients to mitigate risk in these particularly vulnerable populations. A recent study examined whether zinc, B-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and eicosapentaenoic/docosahexaenoic acid (EPA/DHA) could lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in subjects with two genetic variants (CFH Y402H and LOC387715 A69S).
The researchers followed 2167 subjects 55 years old or older from the Rotterdam Study who were at risk for AMD. Those with the variation CFH Y402H in both genes (homozygous) who were in the highest zinc intake group reduced their risk of developing AMD by nearly half. Those taking carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and EPA/DHA reduced their risk by 42%, 34%, and 34%, respectively. Zinc and EPA/DHA intake were also preventive for those with the LOC387715 A69S variant, reducing risk by 31% and 32%, respectively.
The authors suggest that clinicians provide dietary advice to susceptible individuals.
For the paper abstract, click here.
Risa Schulman, PhD
Expert, Healthy Food and Dietary Supplement Science, Marketing and Regulatory
Tap~Root
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