People who have macular degeneration often experience some amount of vision loss and, in advanced cases, blindness. This eye disease damages the macula, one area on the retina that lines the back of your eye. Since treatment does not typically restore lost vision, taking preventative measures may help you avoid severe vision loss from this disease. Talk with your doctor about vitamins, as well as other options, such as taurine, to see what may offer you the best protection.
Types
There are two types of macular degeneration, wet and dry. Dry macular degeneration occurs when your rods and cones, the cells that make up the macular tissue, break down. When healthy, these cells transmit visual information, but damaged cells cannot send or receive these visual cues. This will often result in a smudged or blurred area of central vision, the sight you use for reading and other daily activities. Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels form under the macular tissue. These fragile vessels may leak fluid under the macula, resulting in a pool that lifts the tissue out of position on the back of the eye. This will result in serious vision loss that, in most cases, doctors cannot reverse.
Taurine
Your body makes taurine, a substance many refer to as an amino acid. Taurine helps to make up the bile in your digestive system, but your tissues and other parts of your body, including your brain, also contain taurine. In fact, your retina holds taurine, and some research indicates that taurine may help prevent retinal disease.
Research
In a 1998 study conducted by Thorne Research, researchers studied the effects of taurine on animals. Findings concluded that taurine use may offer a treatment for macular degeneration. However, these findings were not replicated in human studies. As of the publication date of this article, taurine has not been proven to treat or prevent macular degeneration, but researchers continue to evaluate the possibilities associated with taurine.
Considerations
Since treatment options will typically only help prevent further damage to your macular tissue, you should work with your doctor in the ways to prevent macular degeneration. In a 2001 study, the National Eye Institute determined that high doses of nutrients such as zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E may help prevent advanced forms of macular degeneration. Your doctor may recommend a daily vitamin formulation that contains these and other beneficial nutrients. You should not take vitamins or supplements, such as taurine, without first consulting your doctor.
References
- National Eye Institute; Facts About Age-Related Macular Degeneration; September 2009
- Cornell University Chronicle Online; Scientists Close in on Taurine's Activity in the Brain (Red Bull Drinkers, Take Note); February 2008
- "Alternative Medicine Review"; Therapeutic Applications of Taurine; T.C. Birdsall; April 1998
- "Nutritional Neuroscience"; Taurine: Evidence of Physiological Function in the Retina; J.D. Militante and J.B. Lombardini; April 2002
- National Eye Institute; The AREDS Formulation and Age-Related Macular Degeneration; October 2003
