Re: Decreased antioxidant levels increase risk of age-related macular degeneration with exposure to sunlight
- From: Matti Narkia <mna@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:52:57 +0200
The news article
Four beers a day 'could make you blind'
By Tamara McLean. The Australia, November 25, 2008
<http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24705517-12377,00.html>
reports a study presented at an ophthalmology conference in Melbourne
as follows:
"KNOCKING back four beers a day doesn't just risk a serious beer
gut - it could also be damaging your eyesight, a study of
Australian men has found.
Melbourne research shows men in their 60s who drink alcohol
heavily are about six times more likely to develop the most
debilitating form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
About 15 per cent of Australians are affected by the disease -
where sight fades in the centre of the visual field - and 1 per
cent will have the advanced or end-stage form that eventually
steals sight.
Smoking and genetics have been linked to the condition but Dr
Elaine Chong from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
decided to study the diet and eye health of almost 7000 people
over a period of time to determine the contribution of alcohol.
"We found that higher levels of alcohol, more than four
standard drinks a day, was associated with a three-fold
increase in end-stage AMD in men," Dr Chong said.
Beer drinking, in particular, carried a six-fold increased risk.
Quantities of wine and spirits drunk were too low to evaluate
their risk.
The same link was not see in women, possibly because they were
less likely to drink heavily, she said.
Explaining the trigger, Dr Chong said it was possible alcohol
could increase oxidative stress to the retina.
"Alcohol is a neurotoxin so it is thought that high levels can
actually cause retinal damage that might lead to the disease,"
she said.
An earlier study found rats fed alcohol in the lab were more
likely to develop signs of end-stage AMD.
While the new findings, presented at an ophthalmology
conference in Melbourne today, suggest drinking habits could be
contributing, it may not be that clear cut.
"It might be that heavy drinkers were also more likely to smoke,
which is a well-identified disease risk," Dr Chong said.
"But regardless, heavy alcohol intake is harmful so cutting
back will always do you good."
An earlier meta-analysis
Alcohol consumption and the risk of age-related macular degeneration:
a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chong EW, Kreis AJ, Wong TY, Simpson JA, Guymer RH.
Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Apr;145(4):707-715. Epub 2008 Feb 1. Review.
PMID: 18242575
doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2007.12.005
<http://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(07)01013-6/abstract>
concludes:
"Conclusions
Heavy alcohol consumption (more than three standard drinks per
day) is associated with an increased risk of early AMD. Although
this association seems to be independent of smoking, residual
confounding effects from smoking cannot be excluded completely."
--
Matti Narkia
http://ma.gnolia.com/groups/Nutrition
.
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