(29-03-11) Omega 3s significantly reduce risk of macular degeneration

by Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Loading up on omega-3 fatty acids can significantly reduce your
risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new
report published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology. Data indicates that
among women consuming varying levels of omega-3s, those getting the most are 38
percent less likely to develop the eye disease than those getting the least.

William G. Christen, ScD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard
Medical School, and his colleagues, compiled data from the infamous Women's
Health Study. This data included the eating habits of more than 38,000 women,
including their intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) -- two specific types of omega-3s. For ten years, researchers tracked
these women's eye health and compared it to their omega-3 consumption patterns.

At the end of the study period, 235 women developed AMD, and after adjusting
for various external factors, the team determined a nearly 40 percent decreased
risk of developing the eye disease among those who consumed the most omega-3s.

"[T]hese prospective data from a large population of women with no prior
diagnosis of AMD indicate that regular consumption of DHA and EPA and fish
significantly reduced the risk of incident AMD," wrote the authors.

A previous study published in the journal Ophthalmology found similar results,
maintaining that elderly folks who consume high amounts of omega-3s are less
likely to develop AMD than those who do not (http://www.naturalnews.
com/030614_o...). And as many NaturalNews readers already know, omega-3s
provide a myriad of other health benefits as well.

"Some of the reported benefits of the omega-3s include protection against
heart disease, strokes, and clots in the lungs; anti-carcinogenic activity
against tumors; protection against diabetes; prevention and treatment of
arthritis; and treatment for asthma, PMS, allergies, inflammatory diseases,
water retention, rough or dry skin, and multiple sclerosis," writes Gabriel
Cousens in his book There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+
Program.

"The omega-3s are reported to increase vitality and contribute to smoother
skin, shinier hair, softer hands, smoother muscle action, the normalization of
blood sugar, increased cold weather resistance, and a generally improved immune
system."

Sources for this story include:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea...

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