Seek This Vitamin Group for Your Eyes

Seek This Vitamin Group for Your Eyes

There's a group of vitamins your eyes love. And they all start with the letter B.

Yep, turns out that in certain people, B vitamins could be key for lowering the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) -- a common sight-stealer in older folks.

Easy on the Eyes
In a 7-year study of middle-aged women with cardiovascular disease (or risk factors for it), women were far less likely to develop AMD if they took a vitamin B supplement for the study duration. The three magic Bs in the study: B6, B9 (folic acid), and B12. Researchers aren't entirely sure how Bs helped fend off AMD, but it's possible that their antioxidant effect lowered homocysteine levels -- a marker of inflammation that can damage small blood vessels in the eyes. (Good news! B vitamins may help stave off Alzheimer's, too.)

How Much B Do You Need?
Additional research is needed -- in both women and men -- to confirm the eye-protective benefits of vitamin B supplements. But in the meantime, we know that a B-rich diet has plenty of health benefits, like protecting against stroke. Use these tips to discover safe doses of B vitamins. And try these other strategies for keeping your peepers healthy:

Find out how your vision changes with age.

How healthy are your eyes? Find out with this eye health assessment.