Are you one of the 12 million Americans who take a prescription cholesterol-lowering “statin” drug daily? If so, there is something you need to know, which may save your life.

Lipitor (Atorvastatin) and the other statin drugs such as Mevacor (Lovastatin), Crestor (Rosuvastatin) and others are among the most widely prescribed drugs on the market.

Alzheimer’s Disease is one of those medical conundrums which seems to mock the best efforts of medical researchers worldwide. After over a hundred years of study, nobody is quite sure what exactly causes the disease.

Many people who wander into a health food store for the first time have this question on their minds. For years they have read about the purported risk of supplements produced and sold by the largely self-regulated dietary supplement industry.

The best way to answer this question is by presenting the facts; something the FDA / AMA / Big Pharma “propaganda machine” is loath to do.

The complex, delicate structures of the eye are often the first to suffer the “slings and arrows” of aging. “Normal” aging is bad enough but additional, and all too common, health issues such as diabetes, can pose a serious threat to eye health and vision. I see this all-too-often in my medical practice.

Fortunately, there is much that can be done to protect the eyes via simple nutritional supplementation. Anti-oxidants are the primary thing here and anti-oxidant-rich common foods can play a major role in protecting the eyes.

Now we all know Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which converts directly to Vitamin A, are essential nutrients for the eyes. It goes, without saying, one should always consume adequate amounts of Vitamin A. A decent diet with fresh vegetables and a quality multivitamin nearly always meets your Vitamin A requirements. But, there are other lesser known nutrients, found in common foods, which play vital roles in protecting eye health and it’s these I want to share with you.

Let’s start with blueberries. The common North American blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is closely related to the European bilberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). Both berries contain very high amounts of dark blue to purple pigments called anthocyanins.

These compounds are very beneficial for the eyes, and it is said that during World War II British pilots ate bilberry jam in order to improve their night vision. Modern studies have failed to verify these anecdotal improvements in night vision, however, numerous studies have shown that bilberry extract, (25% anthocyanins) exhibits a wide range of positive effects on eye health. (1) (2)

Anthocyanins play a vital role in regenerating rhodopsin or “visual purple” which is a primary component of the retinal tissues. Strong evidence suggests dietary supplementation with anthocyanins may help guard against macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts (2) (3)

The benefits of anthocyanins extend beyond just the eyes. They are also anti-inflammatory, protective of vascular tissues and have been shown to inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells such as human leukemia and colon cancer. (4)

Anthocyanins are found in nearly all deep-blue and purple foods such as grape skins, red wine, blackberries, purple onions, purple corn, and so on, with blueberries and bilberries being among the richest sources. Bilberry extracts, standardized to say 25% anthocyanins, abound and may be found at most any health food store.

Lutien and zeazanthin are nearly identical bright yellow-colored compounds, found in fairly high concentrations in kale and spinach, and are very important eye nutrients and provide protection in the human eye due to their anti-oxidant and UV-radiation absorbing effects. The macula, which is the spot where light is most concentrated on the retina of the eye, is actually yellow due to zeazanthin, which is incorporated into the macular tissues. Lutein is distributed throughout the remaining retinal area.

Both these substance hold great promise for treating age-related macular degeneration of the eye, as evidenced in a 6 year study conducted by the National Eye Institue (5)

Diabetics especially may help protect their eyes with lutein and zeazanthin as shown in this study done at the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit (6)

Now if you’re like me and not particularly fond of eating kale or spinach day after day, or if you just desire the convenience of taking a daily capsule, these nutrients are also widely available in capsule form at modest cost.

Anthocyanins, lutein and zeazanthin are so essential to health and so widely available in common foods, it is difficult to imagine anyone having problems consuming them. However, if you are allergic to any of the foods mentioned in this article, then you may wish to avoid that particular source and find another which provides the same nutrient.

I’m particularly fond of the anthocyanins found in a traditional beverage consisting of a fermented, ethanol-infused tincture of the red grape, called wine. For medicinal use only, of course…

Cheers!
Marcus Gitterle, MD