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Vitamin Power News
VITAMIN POWER
Helping to get and keep you healthy.
 Omega-3 May Prevent Age-Related Sight Loss
Highly Beneficial For Supporting Eye Health...
Increased Intakes of Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Reduce The Risk of Developing Age-Related Blindness by 30 Per Cent,
Says a New Study From The US National Eye Institute.
A subsection of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) supported the beneficial effects of omega-3 consumption for preventing age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the over 50s.
"These results may guide the development of low-cost and easily implemented preventive interventions for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration," reported the researchers. Order Now: Omega-3
Eyes on AMD
AMD (age-related Macular Degeneration) is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. It is the leading cause of legal blindness for people over 55 years of age in the Western world, according to AMD Alliance International.
Despite the fact that approximately 25 to 30 million people worldwide are affected by AMD, awareness of the condition is low, says the Alliance. And as the generation of Baby Boomers gets older, the Alliance expects incidence to be on the rise and triple by 2025.
There are two types of AMD - wet and dry. Wet AMD occurs when blood vessels grow abnormally beneath the macular (neovascular AMD). The blood vessels eventually leaks and the macular is scarred, obscuring vision.
Dry AMD occurs when normal tissue in the macula slowly disappears. This results in a pale area of the macular called central geographic atrophy.
Increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of both wet and dry AMD by 35 and 32 per cent, respectively, according to findings published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Valuable Healthy Eye Benefits of Omega-3's
It is known that omega-3 fatty acids, and particularly DHA, play an important role in the layer of nerve cells in the retina, and studies have already reported that omega-3 may protect against the onset of AMD.
Indeed, a meta-analysis published in the June 2008 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology found that a high intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fish may reduce the risk of AMD by up to 38 per cent. Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia reported that the benefits were most pronounced against late (more advanced) AMD, while eating fish twice a week was associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD.
The new study supports these earlier findings. The researchers looked at a sub-section of 1,837 people participating in the phase 3 Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). All the participants were considered to be at a moderate-to-high risk of advanced AMD.
Over 12 years of study, the researchers found that intakes of omega-3, estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire, were related to both wet and dry AMD risk.
Significantly, the participants with the highest omega-3 intakes, had a 30 per cent lower risk of developing both types than people with the lowest intakes.
"The 12-year incidence of central geographic atrophy and neovascular AMD in participants at moderate-to-high-risk of these outcomes was lowest for those reporting the highest consumption of omega-3 fatty acids," concluded the researchers.
An earlier study partly funded by the National Eye Institute noted lower levels of inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4, and higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules, such as prostaglandin D2 (American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 175, pp.799-807).
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online
"Omega-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and 12-y incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and central geographic atrophy: a prospective cohort study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study"
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Gotu Kola Is A Powerful Rejuvenative Herb, Providing A Wide Range Of Health Benefits
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 Growing in fertile areas of the Himalayas, Gotu Kola is
regarded as one of the most important rejuvenative herbs in
Ayurvedic Medicine. It is said to
fortify the immune system, and to
strengthen the adrenal glands. It
has been used as a nutritive,
purifying tonic for helping maintain healthy skin.
Gotu Kola is often confused with
Kola nut. Due to this confusion, some people assume
the rejuvenating properties of Gotu Kola are due to the stimulating effects of caffeine contained in Kola Nut.
In fact, Gotu Kola is not related to Kola Nut and contains
no caffeine.
Gotu Kola is a rejuvenative nervine recommended for nervous disorders and as a brain tonic to aid mental functioning and memory. It has also been used to promote restful sleep. It strengthens the adrenal glands while cleansing the blood to treat skin impurities. It is said to help combat stress, energize mental powers, increase libido and improve reflexes. Ayurvedic herbal medicine practitioners believe it energizes the central nervous system and rebuilds the body's energy reserves.
Gotu Kola is also recommended to help relieve high blood pressure and help the body defend against various toxins. Gotu Kola acts as a mild diuretic that can help shrink swollen membranes and aid in the elimination of excess fluids.
Gotu Kola has a positive effect on the circulatory system.
It improves the flow of blood while strengthening the veins
and capillaries. It has been used successfully to treat phlebitis, leg cramps, and abnormal tingling of the extremities. It soothes and minimizes varicose veins and can be used topically to help minimize scarring when applied during the inflammatory period of a wound.
It was found effective when applied on patients with third degree burns, when the treatment commenced immediately after the accident. Daily local application to the affected area along with intramuscular injections, limited the shrinking of the skin as it healed. It is known to prevent infection and inhibit scar formation. It is also useful in repairing skin and connective tissues. The primary active constituent is triterpenoid compounds. Saponins (also called triterpenoids) known as asiaticoside, madecassoside, and madasiatic acid are the primary active constituents. These saponins beneficially affect collagen (the material that makes up connective tissue), inhibiting its production in hyperactive scar tissue.
Due mostly to the actions of the saponins that it contains, Gotu Kola may prevent, delay and treat a condition known as chronic venous insufficiency. This occurs when valves in the veins that carry blood back to the heart are weak or damaged and blood collects in the veins of the legs. This collection of blood can lead to varicose veins, spider veins, or sores on the legs. More serious results can include blood clots in the legs. The saponins Asiaticoside and madecassoside may help keep veins and other blood vessels from weakening. Because it helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels, Gotu Kola may also be effective for slowing retinopathy, the gradual break down of the retina in the eyes. It may also help to relieve hemorrhoids. These same effects are thought to strengthen the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, making Gotu Kola potentially useful for treating ulcers.
According to pharmacological studies, one outcome of Gotu Kola's complex actions is a balanced effect on cells and tissues participating in the process of healing, particularly connective tissues. One of its constituents, asiaticoside, works to stimulate skin repair and strengthen skin, hair, nails and connective tissue (Kartnig, 1988).
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