Although the nutrient combination slowed progression to advanced AMD, it didn’t restore vision that had already been lost.
In the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a randomized clinical trial, a specific combination of antioxidant vitamins and zinc lowered the risk of progressing to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and helped preserve vision in people who already had intermediate disease or advanced disease in one eye, but it did not prevent the condition in healthy eyes.
Your retina contains some of the highest concentrations of zinc in your body — and research indicates this mineral supports cell repair, communication between retinal cells, and the enzymes that help protect eye tissue against everyday damage.
Maintaining the right zinc balance is just as important as getting enough because zinc deficiency impairs retinal function. Laboratory studies indicate that excessive zinc concentrations can also damage retinal cells.
Animal foods such as oysters, grass fed beef, and lamb provide zinc in a form your body absorbs more efficiently than many plant foods, making animal-based whole-food sources an important part of supporting long-term eye health.
If you eat large amounts of whole grains or legumes, remember that they contain natural compounds called phytates that reduce zinc absorption. Eating zinc-rich animal foods as part of a balanced meal helps improve the amount your body actually uses.
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