Particularly, a excessive consumption of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids relative to low consumption reduces the danger of growing each total AMD and superior AMD, with corresponding odds ratios of 0.67 and 0.60.
“In future large-scale potential research, cross-sectional research, or randomized managed trials, extra consideration must be paid to the affiliation of assorted consumption ranges of various FAs with the event and development of intermediate AMD, to keep away from the incidence of superior AMD so far as attainable,” wrote Qing Zhou, researcher at The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan College, Guangzhou, China, and colleagues In Frontiers in Diet.
They added: “Consideration must also be paid to the affiliation between AMD and the research inhabitants, dietary habits, and well being consciousness of the contributors, and changes must be made accordingly, as this can drastically have an effect on the research outcomes.”
Fatty acids to tackle AMD
AMD is the fourth main explanation for blindness worldwide and primarily impacts adults over 55 years of age, mentioned the researchers. Whereas there are a number of efficient medication out there, affected person compliance is usually decreased by the necessity for frequent injections and physician visits along with the potential for hostile results reminiscent of endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, and traumatic lens harm, they added.
Fatty acids reminiscent of polyunsaturated fatty acids might sort out AMD as they’ve anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic properties along with advantages in sustaining imaginative and prescient, cognitive perform, and glucose and lipid metabolism, they mentioned.
Nevertheless, the investigators defined that there are various forms of fatty acids, complicating the difficulty. Moreover, they famous that “the results of assorted consumption ranges of various fatty acid subtypes appear to be completely different within the improvement and development of AMD, and the research outcomes are all the time completely different amongst research, making clinicians confused about how a lot degree of consumption of fatty acids can forestall and delay the event of AMD.”
Analyzing earlier research
To make clear the difficulty, the researchers carried out a meta-analysis of 26 research assessing the function of fatty acids within the improvement of AMD, involving a complete of 241,151 contributors. Eligible research needed to adequately outline the completely different levels of AMD and study the consumption of fatty acids on the danger for various levels of AMD.
The vast majority of the included research had been carried out within the US adopted by geographies together with Australia, Japan and Europe. Individuals within the research reported their dietary fats consumption primarily based on the Meals Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in 25 research and by way of the Temporary Self-administered Weight-reduction plan Historical past Questionnaire (BDHQ) in a single research.
Zhou et al discovered {that a} excessive consumption of one of many major omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, DHA, lower the danger of total AMD, intermediate and superior AMD with odds ratios of 0.80, 0.83 and 0.68 respectively. The investigators discovered an analogous sample with one other major omega-3 fatty acid referred to as EPA, with excessive consumption reducing the danger of total AMD with an odds ratio of 0.91 and superior AMD with an odds ratio of 0.85.
In the meantime, Zhou and colleagues discovered that the danger of total AMD was unaffected by excessive and low consumption ranges of complete fats, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and omega-6. Additionally they noticed that elevated consumption of trans-fatty acids elevated the danger for superior AMD, with an odds ratio of two.05.
Commenting independently, Harry Rice, V.P., Regulatory & Scientific Affairs at International Group for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), instructed NutraIngredients that the research has some limitations and that the outcomes recommend that “additional analysis is warranted, however restricted conclusions could be drawn this present day.”
He added: “As an apart, I do suppose that it might have been extra informative if the 2 varieties (dry versus moist) of AMD had been thought of individually provided that they’re related to completely different pathophysiological mechanisms. Which means that there could possibly be completely different results of EPA/DHA on the event and development between the 2 varieties.”
A previous part 3 trial referred to as VITAL (Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial) didn’t show a good thing about lower than one gram/day of EPA/DHA for AMD incidence or development, although subgroup analyses instructed a possible profit, Rice noticed. “Because of this, I believe further randomized scientific trials in wholesome people with dosages larger than 1 gram/day of EPA+DHA have to be performed,” he added.
Supply: Entrance. Nutr 2024, 11:1403987
doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1403987
“Affiliation between fatty acid consumption and age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis”
Authors: Yan Lee et al.