Goji Berries May Protect Against Age-Related Vision Loss

Highlights:

The ability of eyes to read or recognize faces is affected during aging
But eating goji berries brightened the vision by increasing the eye pigments
Future research will be needed in examining the use of goji berries in age-related eye diseases

Regularly eating a small serving of dried goji berries may help prevent or delay the development of age-related vision loss in healthy middle-aged people, according to a study conducted at the University of California, Davis.The study was published in the journal Nutrients.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in the aging population. It is estimated to affect more than 11 million in the United States and 170 million globally.

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‘Goji berries can improve vision in aged people because they contain high levels of healthy antioxidants, especially zeaxanthin.’
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“AMD affects your central field of vision and can affect your ability to read or recognize faces,” said Glenn Yiu, a co-author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences.

The cause of AMD is complex and multifactorial. It involves a mix of genetic risks, age-associated changes, and environmental factors like smoking, diet, and sun exposure.

Early stages of AMD do not have symptoms, but physicians can detect AMD and other eye problems during a regular comprehensive eye exam.

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The current treatment for AMD uses special dietary supplements, called AREDS, that contain vitamins C, E, zinc, copper and lutein, and zeaxanthin. There is no known therapy for the early stages of AMD.

In the new study, researchers found that 13 healthy participants aged 45 to 65 who consumed 28 grams (about one ounce, or a handful) of goji berries five times a week for 90 days had increased density of protective pigments in their eyes.

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In contrast, 14 study participants who consumed a commercial supplement for eye health over the same period did not show an increase.

The eye pigments that increased in the group that ate goji berries are lutein and zeaxanthin. These pigments filter out harmful blue light and provide antioxidant protection. Both help to protect the eyes during aging.

They also found that even in normal healthy eyes, these optical pigments can be increased with a small daily serving of goji berries. The higher the lutein and zeaxanthin in the retina, the more protection you will have.

Goji berries are the fruit of Lycium chinense and Lycium barbarum, two species of shrubby bushes found in northwest China.

Dried berries are a common ingredient in Chinese soups and are popular as herbal tea They are similar to raisins and eaten as a snack. In Chinese medicine, goji berries are said to have “eye brightening” qualities. Goji berries contain high quantities of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known to reduce the risk of eye diseases related to AMD. The form of zeaxanthin in goji berries is readily absorbed in the digestive system so the body can use it.

This new study shows goji berries, which are a natural food source, can improve protective eye pigments of healthy participants beyond taking high-dose nutritional supplements.

The next step in the research will be to examine goji berries in patients with early-stage AMD. Although the results are promising, the researchers note that the study size was small, and more research would be needed.