Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Adv Food Nutr Res. 2020;93:293-332. doi: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2020.04.003. Epub 2020 May 4.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in developed countries and is highly common among aging individuals. Considering the rate at which the global population is aging, the increasing prevalence of AMD and age-related eye disease is cause for concern. AMD is associated with the degeneration of the macula, the most central region of the retina, leading to a loss of central vision. A wide array of research has focused on the ability of lipid soluble nutrients to prevent and mitigate the harmful effects of AMD. These nutrients in question tend to be highly saturated within retinal tissues including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and the polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Additionally, the unique presence of very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs, C24-C36) in the retina may be essential to prevent retinal degeneration as demonstrated by abnormal retinal functioning in the absence of these novel fatty acids. Existing literature has suggested that lutein, zeaxanthin and DHA consumption tend to enhance the health of the retina, protecting against the development of AMD. However, little improvement to the previously deteriorated retina is demonstrated and more research is required to understand the role of these nutrients in the retina and for the prevention of AMD. Considering the global impact of AMD and age-related eye disease, utilizing nutrients to prevent the formation of these debilitating diseases is a highly affordable and promising strategy.
年龄相关性黄斑变性（AMD）是发达国家导致严重视力丧失的主要原因，在老年人中非常普遍。考虑到全球人口老龄化的速度，AMD 和年龄相关性眼病的患病率不断上升令人担忧。AMD 与黄斑变性有关，黄斑是视网膜的最中央区域，导致中心视力丧失。大量研究集中在脂溶性营养素预防和减轻 AMD 的有害影响的能力上。这些有问题的营养素在视网膜组织中往往高度饱和，包括类胡萝卜素叶黄素和玉米黄质以及多不饱和脂肪酸二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）。此外，视网膜中独特的长链多不饱和脂肪酸（VLCPUFAs，C24-C36）的存在对于防止视网膜变性可能是必不可少的，正如在缺乏这些新型脂肪酸的情况下视网膜功能异常所证明的那样。现有文献表明，叶黄素、玉米黄质和 DHA 的消耗往往能增强视网膜的健康，防止 AMD 的发展。然而，先前恶化的视网膜几乎没有得到改善，需要更多的研究来了解这些营养素在视网膜中的作用以及预防 AMD 的作用。考虑到 AMD 和年龄相关性眼病的全球影响，利用营养物质来预防这些使人衰弱的疾病的形成是一种极具成本效益和前景广阔的策略。
