Cataracts afflict 22 million Americans age 40 and above, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and by age 80, more than half of all Americans will have cataracts. It is believed that eating green leafy vegetables, fruits and other foods with antioxidants might help prevent this condition. One of the vitamins in green leafy vegetables, folic acid, shows particular promise for fighting eye diseases.
Identification
A cataract is when the clear natural lens of your eye get cloudy, as if you were looking through a frosty window. Most cataracts are related to aging, but smoking, alcohol, diabetes and sunlight might also be contributing factors. Your eye lens is made of mostly water and protein arranged in a way to keep the lens clear, but when that process is disrupted, the proteins clump together to former a "cloud." Other than eyeglasses, the only treatment is surgery.
Folic Acid Benefits
Folic acid is also known as folate, folacin or vitamin B-9. Folate is the naturally-occurring vitamin contained in foods such as liver, citrus fruits and dark-green leafy vegetables, while folic acid is the man-made form that is easier for your body to absorb. Folic acid helps your body grow and maintain DNA and red blood cells. Folic acid also has been shown to decrease the risk for another eye condition, macular degeneration.
Expert Insight
Folic acid levels are often low in people prone to cataracts. A study in Italy, published in 1996 in the "Annals of Epidemiology," found that those who consumed the most folic acid were 40 percent less likely to develop cataracts. A strong protective influence on cortical cataracts, or a type of cataract that affects the edges of the lens, was found from long-term use of folate, as researchers reported in 2001 in the "American Journal of Ophthalmology." Scientists in India also discovered that a folate deficiency increased oxidative stress in blood and the eye lens, in a study published in 2008 in "Clinical Nutrition."
Considerations
Folic acid supplements are generally recognized as safe. Gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, abdominal distension, flatulence and a bitter taste in the mouth, have been reported in patients who took 15 mg of folic acid daily. Less-common effects include altered sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating, irritability, depression, confusion and impaired judgment. The recommended daily allowance is 400 mcg per day for everyone except pregnant women, who need 600 mcg. Check with your doctor before taking folic acid supplements greater than 15 mg per day.
References
- National Eye Institute; "Facts About Cataract"; 2009
- American Cancer Society; "Folic Acid"; March 2011
- "Annals of Epidemiology"; "Food and Nutrient Intake and Risk of Cataract"; A. Tavanim et al; January 1996
- "American Journal of Opthamaology"; "Use of Vitamin Supplements and Cataract: the Blue Mountains Eye Study"; M. Kuzniarz et al; July 2001
- "Clinical Journal of Nutrition"; Dietary and Nutritional Biomarkers of Lens Degeneration, Oxidative Stress and Micronutrient Inadequacies in Indian Cataract Patients; K.V. Tarwadi et al; March 2008
- Drugs.com; "Folic Acid"; 2009
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