Printed within the journal Vitamins, the examine by authors in Florence, Italy, evaluated intestine microbiota composition in nAMD sufferers versus wholesome controls and examined the consequences of micronutrient supplementation with lutein, zeaxanthin, and saffron on imaginative and prescient and microbial options.
The gut-retina axis, the bidirectional communication and practical connection between the intestine microbiome and the retina of the attention, has gained attention in recent research, suggesting that the well being of the intestine microbiome can affect retinal well being and probably play a task in eye illnesses.
The gut-retina axis
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) primarily causes visible impairment amongst people over 65, affecting 170 million folks globally.
In nAMD, irregular blood vessels develop by means of Bruch’s membrane, pushed by mechanisms like oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) accumulation, which disrupts the retinal pigment epithelium’s potential to course of photoreceptor outer segments, resulting in poisonous compound buildup.
Typical remedies for nAMD intention to inhibit irregular blood vessel progress, nonetheless, whereas early laser photocoagulation can restrict development, it has reportedly been discovered to trigger imaginative and prescient loss.
Latest analysis has linked AMD to an altered immune system, oxidative stress, and weight problems, which highlights the potential of dietary dietary supplements in prevention and administration.
One study discovered that lutein and zeaxanthin cut back early-stage AMD development by absorbing blue gentle, neutralizing reactive oxygen species, and growing macular pigment optical density.
As nutritional vitamins E and C protect against oxidative stress, and zinc reduces complement-mediated irritation, the researchers recommend these micronutrients might provide protecting results. Saffron may additionally enhance retinal function by means of its antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties.
Examine particulars
The researchers recruited 30 nAMD sufferers, who have been randomized to obtain each day micronutrient supplementation alongside anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial progress issue) remedy, or anti-VEGF therapy alone, over a six-month interval, with comparisons made to a wholesome management (HC) group (N = 15).
The micronutrient complement contained 10 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, 80 mg vitamin C, 12 mg vitamin E, 10 mg zinc, and 20 mg saffron.
Ophthalmological assessments, biochemical measurements, and stool samples have been obtained earlier than and after therapy.
Intestine microbiota characterization was carried out utilizing 16S rRNA sequencing, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) have been analyzed.
Outcomes confirmed diminished intestine bacterial variety in nAMD sufferers in comparison with wholesome controls (HC). Key bacterial taxa, together with Bacteroidota, Bacteroidales, and Prevotellaceae, have been much less plentiful in nAMD sufferers, whereas pro-inflammatory micro organism like Lactobacillales and Escherichia-Shigella have been enriched.
SCFA-producing genera, reminiscent of Lachnospira and Faecalibacterium, have been additionally diminished, correlating with decreased SCFA ranges and elevated inflammatory metabolites in nAMD sufferers.
The researchers concluded that micronutrient supplementation together with lutein, zeaxanthin, and saffron improved sufferers’visible acuity and diminished inflammatory markers, however that “additional research are warranted to extra totally outline the connection between the intestine microbiota and retinal well being.”
Supply: Vitamins 2024, 16(22), 3971; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223971
“Helpful Results of Micronutrient Supplementation in Restoring the Altered Microbiota and Intestine–Retina Axis in Sufferers with Neovascular Age-Associated Macular Degeneration—A Randomized Medical Trial.”
Authors: Baldi, S. et al.
