is a lutein and zeaxanthin supplement needed to prevent blindness?

12.30: cook/macuguard/4-star/
new formula tastes like soap, is it essential?

12.30: summary:

. this is research about a supplement

that features lutein and zeaxanthin

for the purpose of protecting the eyes

from blindness caused by macular degeneration.

. lutein comes from grean leafy vegetables,

but zeaxanthin is not so easy to get;

is it really needed? or can I rely on leaf?

11.28: 12.30:

Life Extension MacuGuard Ocular Support with Saffron

[purchased from amazon B01HFREINK(ad)]

. I chew this along with my other fat-soluble supps,

rather than swallow it whole,

and I noticed it tasted like soap in this new batch;

but I figured that's just the way marigold's can taste,

and I just never noticed it before,

or they have some new (possibly better) extraction method.

. this supp provides some eye-protecting pigments

not found in the dark green leafy veg (zeaxanthin).

. both those pigments might be preventing

macular degeneration

when combined with minimizing 

omega-6 veg oil and grain-fed animal fat,

maximizing omega-3 fish oil,

and staying away from refined sugars.

. "risk factors for AMD include

Blue light irradiation to the macula,

Hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes."

[ Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 May 4

Antioxidants and Mechanistic Insights for Managing

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration;

Deepak Basyal, Sooyeun Lee, Hye Jin Kim.]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11117704/

. the dramatic rise in the rates of AMD

are due to the rise of omega-3 vegetable oil

and grain-fed animal fat.

. there has also been a rise in refined sugars,

which may contribute to eye stress.

[ ophthalmology prof Dr. Chris A Knobbe 2023

The Ancestral Diet Revolution: 

How Vegetable Oils and Processed Foods

Destroy Our Health - and How to Recover!

https://amzn.to/3BRZCj9

[book from amazon (ad)]

or see the cureAMD organization website:

https://www.cureamd.org/introduction-is-age-related-macular-degeneration-amd-preventable-and-treatable-with-diet/]

"An intake of dietary supplied nutrients

rich in the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, 

appears to be beneficial in protecting retinal tissues, 

but this is not proven. 

Until scientifically sound knowledge is available 

we recommend" those at risk of AMD to

eat more dark green leafy vegetables, 

and protect their eyes from the sun's UV light

with protective lenses and a hat.

[ Nutr J. 2003

The role of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, 

in protecting against age-related macular degeneration: 

a review based on controversial evidence;

Maneli Mozaffarieh, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14670087/

. lutein may be more important than zeaxanthin

and you can get that from leafy greens:

Ophthalmology 2012

Effect of lutein and zeaxanthin on macular pigment

and visual function in patients with

early age-related macular degeneration;

Le Ma, et al, Randomized Controlled Trial 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22858124/

. Early AMD patients were assigned randomly to receive

10 mg/day lutein (n = 27), 

20 mg/day lutein (n = 27), 

10 mg/day lutein plus 10 mg/day zeaxanthin (n = 27); 

or placebo (n = 27) for 48 weeks. 

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) 

and visual function variables were assessed

at baseline, 24 weeks, and 48 weeks.

Results: 

Macular pigment optical density 

increased significantly by a mean ± standard error of 

0.076 ± 0.022 density unit 

in the 20-mg lutein group and 

0.058 ± 0.027 density unit in the 

lutein and zeaxanthin group during 48 weeks. 

[12.30: so given the standard error,

it's not clear whether your extra 10 mg

of more lutein or instead zeaxanthin

is better for Macular pigment optical density;

but if all error was equal,

it might be better to replace zeaxanthin

with more lutein?]

There was a significant dose-response effect for

lutein supplementation, ...

At 48 weeks, a trend toward improvement was seen in 

best-corrected visual acuity, 

and there was a significant between-group difference in 

contrast sensitivity at 3 and 6 cycles/degree 

between the 

20-mg lutein group and the placebo group. [12.30: 

but less dramatic findings in the

lutein + zeaxanthin group?]

Conclusions: 

Among patients with early AMD, 

supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin

improved macular pigment, 

which played a causative role in boosting visual function

and might prevent the progression of AMD.

[12.30:

. but the data seems to show that

given the same high dose,

having it be all lutein was more effective than 

half of it being zeaxanthin? ]

. lutein and zeaxanthin are better for eyes than beta-carotene.

[ JAMA Ophthalmol . 2014

Secondary analyses of the effects of 

lutein/zeaxanthin

on age-related macular degeneration progression: 

AREDS2 report No. 3

Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Research Group; 

Emily Y Chew, et al]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24310343/

Randomized Controlled Trial.

. we also need to increase fish-oil/veg-oil ratio;

however certain nuts may also be helpful:

"Intake of Vegetables, Fruit, and Fish

is Beneficial for Age-Related Macular Degeneration"

[ Am J Ophthalmol . 2019

Alexandra P M, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30312575/

. "The rate of slowing AMD progression was higher in

patients who followed the Mediterranean Diet 

and received a dietary supplement, 

compared to patients who skipped either 

supps or diet (p<0.001)."

. the supp was AREDS 2 formula 

(lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, 

vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, 

zinc oxide 80 mg or 25 mg, 

and cupric oxide 2 mg) (8) 

. the diet is high in polyphenols from olive oil,

non-refined cereals, potatoes, fruits, 

vegetables, legumes, fish, 

and is low in 

poultry, mammal meat, full fat dairy, and alcohol.

[ In Vivo. 2023 

Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Progression of

Dry Form of Age-related Macular Degeneration;

Danai-Magdalini Gourgouli, et al]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37369498/

. things to consider about that study:

. if they did better using the lutein supplement

it could be that their diet's "vegetables"

didn't include much dark green leaf.

. cereals are a source of omega-6 oil;

there are better sources of fiber;

especially the legumes (eg, peas and lentils)

and the vegetables.

. concerning non-refined cereals,

Dr.Gundry 2017 tells us that whole wheat lectins 

are a source of autoimmunity that clogs arteries.

https://amzn.to/4gQXNBM [The Plant Paradox (ad)]

. "Eating a lot of dark leafy vegetables

and some fruits

can help to prevent some diseases."

[ Nutrients. 2022

Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Their Roles in

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

—Neurodegenerative Disease;

Małgorzata Mrowicka, et al]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8874683/

--

though Dr.Gundry 2017 tells us that

american fruits such as 

corn, pumpkin, tomato, and squash

can have lectins that some don't tolerate.

. "daily use of 5 grams of fish oil

(3.4 g of EPA and 1.6 g of DHA) 

significant improved vision acuity in 

patients with dry AMD."

[ PharmaNutrition 2014

Pilot study for treating dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 

with high-dose omega-3 fatty acids

Tassos Georgiou, et al.]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221343441300042X

. "A high intake of dietary fish oil or fish

was associated with a reduced risk of developing of AMD;

Every 15 g/day of fish consumption

was associated with 13% lower incidence of early AMD. 

(there are 125g per tin of sardines)

. fish intake was associated with a significantly

reduced risk of AMD progression 

(RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.53, 1.00).

The dose-response analysis showed a 6% and 22% decrease

in the risk of early and late AMD

for each additional 1 g/d fish oil intake."

[ Clin Nutr. 2021

Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish intake 

and risk of age-related macular degeneration;

Hong Jiang, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34749130/

". there is evidence of protection against early AMD 

from regularly eating fish, 

greater consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, 

and having low intakes of foods rich in linoleic acid 

[omega-6 oil from grains and grain-fed meats]. 

Regular consumption of nuts may also reduce AMD risk." [12.30: 

despite being a significant source of linoleic acid.]

[ Arch Ophthalmol. 2009

Dietary fatty acids and the 10-year incidence of

age-related macular degeneration: 

the Blue Mountains Eye Study

Jennifer S L Tan, et al, Paul Mitchell.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19433717/

. especially pistachio nuts:

"Pistachio Consumption Increases 

Macular Pigment Optical Density

in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial"

[ J Nutr. 2024 Oct 18

Tammy M Scott, et al, Elizabeth J Johnson]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39426460/

. pistachio are best at improving blood lipids:

[ Am J Clin Nutr. 2020

Comparative effects of different types of tree nut consumption

on blood lipids: a network meta-analysis of clinical trials;

Kai Liu, et al, Linlang Liang ]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31773150/

. "Bioactive compounds from tree nuts

delay aging and age-related diseases

possibly by several mechanisms:

. the Nrf2/EpRE pathway is upregulated 

and NF-кB pathway is downregulated by tree nuts.

. Tree nuts exert cytoprotection via antioxidant and

anti-inflammatory activities."

[ Trends in Food Science & Technology 2019:

Benefits of tree nut consumption on aging

and age-related diseases: Mechanisms of actions;

Marius Emil Rusu]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224418308203

skinless chicken has an omega-6 load similar to a single yolk

 2022.10.21: web.health/diet/omega-6/
skinless chicken has an omega-6 load similar to a single yolk:

. an egg's worth of arachidonic omega-6

will prevent fish oil from causing bleeding disorders,

but too much may increase clotting disorders,

and contribute to inflammation.

. skinless chicken has an omega-6 load 

similar to a single yolk:

chronic illness increased after oils of soy, grain, and seeds added to diet

 2022.3.9: health/diet/omega-6/

chronic illness increased after oils of soy, grain, and seeds added to diet:

Dr. Chris Knobbe warns us that we are wrong about

omega-6 oil being healthy at higher doses.

AncestryFoundation 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKR1ZdHXXzo

Omega-6 Apocalypse 2 (AHS21)

Catherine Shanahan M.D. 2018: [ad]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G1J7WEU/ref=nosim?tag=americiu-20

Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food. 

fish oil reduces risk except for angina patients

22.1.2:  2.8: news.health/diet/omega-3/heart
/fish oil reduces risk except for angina patients:

Mayo Clin Proc. 2021 Feb

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32951855/

Effect of Omega-3 Dosage on Cardiovascular Outcomes: 

An Updated Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression of Interventional Trials.

Aldo A Bernasconi, et al.

commentary:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917084102.htm 

"People should consider the benefits of omega-3 supplements,

at doses of 1000 to 2000 mg per day

-- far higher than what is typical, 

even among people who regularly eat fish."

high fat vs high carb diet improves omega-3 vs 6 ratio?

 21.2.19: co.reddit/news.health/diet/omega-3/
high fat vs high carb diet improves omega-3 vs 6 ratio?:

. even when the diet's omega-6/omega-3 ratios are nearly the same,

the High fat diet group had a lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio

than the High carb diet group. 

krill oil brands with 3rd party testing

 21.1.28: web.cook/krill/brands with 3rd party testing:

[5.12: summary:

. some say the best thing about krill oil

is that it provides phospholipids,

but you could get that from lecithin;

what is great about krill oil,

is having a phospholipid combined with fish oil,

instead of some lesser-needed oil.

. when buying oils from seafood,

quality may benefit from 3rd party testing.

I tried chewing the IKOS-tested Sports Research

and was amazed at how fishy and weird it tastes;

meanwhile, MegaRed has no 3rd-party testing

but it has a pleasant taste; nevertheless, 

I would still prefer IKOS-tested products.]

IKOS® Sports Research, 400mg phospholipids* 60/subscribe $25.46

https://smile.amazon.com/Antarctic-Strength-Omega-3s-Astaxanthin-Softgels/dp/B00IP1E3O0

--warned about deliveries keep happening after unsubscribe.

same from iherb/$31.15

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Sports-Research-SUPERBA-2-Antarctic-Krill-Oil-with-Astaxanthin-1-000-mg-60-Softgels/71100

IKOS® vivanaturals Antarctic Krill Oil 575mg phospholipids * 30/$25.15

https://smile.amazon.com/Viva-Naturals-Premium-Antarctic-Krill/dp/B004TBCT4G/

olive oil's high-polyphenol sources

20.3.30: web.health/diet/olive oil/high polyphenol sources:
3.30: summary:
. health claims for olive oil
depend on the level of polyphenols,
which could be extracted from your olive oil,
unless your brand makes specific claims
involving 3rd-party testing,
or is billing itself as a polyphenol extract of olives.
. my favorite product is a fish oil with
polyphenol extracts added to prevent fish odor.

dose of selenium depends on mercury-binding losses

2019.8.26: health/diet/selenium/mercury-binding losses:
2020.1.7: summary:
. selenium (se) is an essential mineral
but it binds to mercury,
and there is a lot of mercury in some foods
especially since the industrial age,
(and some fillings release mercury;
and some flu vaccines may contain mercury).
so some may need more se than others,
ie, you may need more than is recommended.
. some lakes are low in se,
but the ocean has plenty of it,
so most ocean fish have more se than mercury,
however, even if ocean fish are not a
mercury hazard, they still have carcinogenic
endocrine disruptors such as PCB, and dioxins.
. in addition to using sardines for se,
(also omega-3 oils, and plenty of minerals)
I get se from Se-Methyl L-Selenocysteine
since it may have additional benefits
before being degraded into elemental selenium
that can bind mercury and be used in proteins.

a doctor's path to reversing artery plaque from insulin resistance

19.12.2: tv.med/heart/a doctor's path to 
reversing artery plaque from insulin resistance:
Ford Brewer MD MPH Apr 18, 2017
How I Reversed 20 years of Arterial Plaque: 
Heart Attack Proofing?
. ACE inhibitors, like statins,
are designed for one thing
{lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol}
but they are actually most helpful because
they are reducing inflammation.
. he reduced high-glycemic carbs,
[noted in the captioning]
and because that lowers insulin
which improves blood lipids and pressure,
he was able to lower his dose of medications;
. he also used niacin, and ate salmon every day.

arrythmia better or worse from low iron?

19.11.25: med/heart/afib/
arrythmia better or worse from low iron?
. an elder who visited the doctor for afib
(atrial fibrillation or arrythmia)
was told that one aggravating factor was that
her ovo-vegetarianism had resulted in low iron
and that she needed to take iron supplements.
. I was surprised to hear this,
because it was previously believed that
higher iron levels involved oxidative stress
and men were being encouraged to give blood
in order to keep their iron low.
[Amer J Epi 1998]
. however, ...

how #vegan diets are more prone to bleeding

9.6: health/diet/how vegans are more prone to bleeding:
9.10: summary:
. vegans seem more prone to bleeding;
Sears's zone diet research suggests
that there is greater risk of bleeding
when taking high-dose fish oil,
because the omega-3 oil EPA
greatly exceeds the balancing effects of
arachidonic acid (AA) omega-6 oil.
. it is quite likely that the converse is true,
those with very low levels of AA,
are going to have a bloody EPA/AA ratio
even if their EPA is not high.
. one of the richest sources of AA is egg yolk,
and AA may be why a 2018 study showed
Chinese eating one yolk daily can
reduce their risk of bleeding death.
. a great vegan source for both protein
and the omega-6 that may be converted to AA,
is chickpeas (1.1g omega-6 per 100g);
of course, nuts and seeds
are the richest source of omega-6
other than processed oils.
. chia seeds and walnuts are balanced:
chia: 5.8g omega-6, 17.5g omega-3.
walnuts: 38g omega-6, 9g omega-3;
walnuts are rich in polyphenols too.

consumer reports`safe fish

web.health/diet/fish/consumerreports`safe fish:
19.2.3: sun
consumerreports 2017:
In the new [gov] guidelines, fish are grouped into
"best choices," "good choices," and "fish to avoid,"
based on their mercury levels.
And the agencies set limits for the amount of fish to eat
from the best and good choices groups,
advising 2*4 ... 3*4 ounce servings per week
of the best choices
or one weekly 4-ounce serving of the good choices.
(For children ages 4 to 7, the serving sizes are 2 ounces.)
cr advice:
Lowest-mercury fish:
sardines,
salmon (wild and Alaska, canned or fresh),
oysters, scallops, shrimp, squid, and tilapia.
A 132-pound woman can safely eat up to
36 ounces per week; [5oz per day]
a 44-pound child can safely eat up to 18 ounces. [2.5oz per day]

oysters are good for omega-3? compare:
474mg omega-3 per oz pacific sardine.
414mg omega-3 per oz atlantic sardine.
356mg omega-3 per oz salmon, red, canned, (Alaska Native)
188mg omega-3 per oz oysters.

#dementia more risk from diet soda than from sugared soda?

2017.11.24: news.health/dementia/
more risk from diet soda than from sugared soda?:
the week.mag may 12, p21:
washington post:
boston univ`Matthew Pase:
. a 10 year study* resulted in few cases of dementia
but those who did get it, were more likely to have
used diet soda not sugared soda.
*[Stroke. 2017]

naturopath Frank Cooper early warning about Interesterified fats

2017.11.13: web.med/naturopaths/
Frank Cooper (Naturopathic Nutritionist based in Australia):
I was impressed that when Interesterified fats
were raising alarm bells in 2009,
Frank Cooper warned about them a year earlier;
I wondered what he is doing now,
and he seems to have lost web presence in 2013.

early #AMD reversal with high-dose fish oil #med #blindness

2.12: med/amd/fisho
2.13: summary:
. AMD is a major source of blindness;
studies show that in its early stages,
it can be reversed with fish oil;
and that a key marker of healing
is there being nearly as much EPA
as the body has of AA;
fish oil supplements vary in EPA;
eg, le caps have 0.35g of EPA;
along with EPA from fish oil,
you also need to lower AA levels:
keep insulin low (avoid grains and sugars);
limit omega-6 oils and most of all
be wary of AA in fatty animal products,
especially eggs and chicken.
if you get all your fish oil from fish meat
you also get some AA along with
dioxins, PCB's and mercury].
. AMD reversal was indicated by
the ability to read more letters
on a chart with increasingly smaller letters:
8 more letters at aa/epa ratio of 2-2.7;
[from perhaps 4 le caps per day]
15 letters at aa/epa ratio of 1.1-1.6
[from perhaps 8-12 le caps].
. the study applied the oil in 2 doses.
. rancid fish oil can do more harm than good
so it's important to pick a brand
that is 3rd-party tested for low rancidity
and also has powerful antioxidants
such as rosemary or olive extract.
. when taking high-dose fish oil
you should add more antioxidants,
and also ensure you get some GLA
that is blocked by high-dose DHA
(oats are a source of GLA).

@sproutsfm #sardines with no added salt or BPA #review

11.28: news.cook/fish/
@sproutsfm #sardines with no added salt or BPA #review:
. Sprouts has a good selection of organics;
they stock Certified Humane pastured eggs;
and I will be using their brand of sardines.
. today I tried the Sprouts sardines
with no added salt or BPA.
. if the daily sodium should be
the usa Daily Value (2400 mg per day);
and you don't get sodium from other sources,
then you can eat 9 cans of Sprouts sardines
compared with 5 cans of typical sardines.
. for a sardine with no added salt
I was surprised at how salty Sprouts tasted
(what are they actually doing in Morocco?);
anyway, salt is not really evil:
those with hypertension really need
less sugars (glucose and fructose)
and more greens.

canned sardines have B vitamins #health

5.22: web.health/diet/canned sardines have B vitamins:
. canned sardines, despite being cooked,
still have some b'vitamins:
very good source of b12,
but only 9% of daily b6.

boxed wine and canned sardines #health

5.16: web.health/diet/hormonics
/boxed wine and canned sardines:
. boxed wine and canned sardines
are some of my favorite products
but are they a source of endocrine disruptors,
being exposed to plastics? not to worry:
the endocrine disruptors are even in our water;
there is no way to escape from them.

genetics, arachidonic acid, and EPA

2.28: co.yt/health/diet/omega-3/
microalgae oil not a good source EPA:
. great this video informs the public
that some may need to use L-methyltetrahydrofolate
to keep homocysteine levels in check.
. this video is associated with this whitepaper:
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/reports/nutrigenomics.pdf
it says "If you’re vegetarian,
one other thing you might consider looking into is
microalgae oil since it has EPA & DHA
without having to be converted from ALA."
-- Dr.Sears claimed one problem with microalgae oil
is that it conains only DHA and not EPA;
and that the body's conversion of DHA to EPA
was not a great source of EPA either;
this is why non-fisheaters can't get
medicinal quantities of EPA without absurd levels of ALA.
. checking one source of microalgae oil
we find it contains only trace amounts of EPA.
. good to know about rs174537 being related to
the level of arachidonic acid levels;
Dr.Sears says high levels of that
should be medicated with high-dose EPA.

omega-3 medicinal effects

10.21: web.health/diet/omega-3/medicinal effects:
12.27: summary:
. fish oil has long-chained omega-3
that is very valuable for reducing disease;
you can make some yourself with
plant-based omega-3, but not much.
. plant-based omega-3 was not helpful for
reducing the risk of circulation disorders
yet one study showed it reduced the risk of
macular degeneration.
. some studies showed that supplements did not help
reduce risk of cerebrovascular disease,
only a diet of whole fish helped.
. one study showed high-dose supplements
did help with macular degeneration,
while another study showed that
low dose supplements did not help.
. fish is a source of mercury, PCB's and dioxins;
fish oil supplements that are 3rd-party tested
may help with heart disease, cancer,
arthritis, macular degeneration
and mental illness.