Vitamins That Aid In The Health & Proper Function Of
Your Eyes
The following is a list of vitamins that are
necessary for good health and that can affect the health and optimum
functioning of your eyes.
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Vitamin D: This vitamin is vital for the
metabolism of calcium and regulates the absorption of
calcium and phosphorus from the intestinal tract. A
deficiency of vitamin D results in rickets in young
children; irritability, weakness, and softening of the bones
in adults; and underutilization of calcium and phosphorus in
bone and tooth formation in people of any age. Vitamin D may
have a direct effect on the eyes, and it is vital for
maintaining overall good health.
The body can usually produce all the vitamin D it needs; in
the presence of sunlight, two cholesterol-related compounds
in the skin are converted into vitamin D. Food sources of
vitamin D include butter, egg yolk, fish liver oils, fatty
fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, and liver and
oysters. Supplements are available, but rarely necessary or
even advisable, as vitamin D is one of the few vitamins that
you can overdose on. |
The B Vitamins: The group of B vitamins can have a profound
effect on the health of the eyes. The B vitamins act as
coenzymes. They are the ones that see to it that oxidation
reactions essential to cell growth and carbohydrate metabolism
occur as they should. Below is a list of members of the vitamin
B family.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): This member of the vitamin B group is
important in the metabolism of carbohydrates; energy production;
the synthesis of RNA, niacin, and fatty acids; and the
transmission of nerve impulses. In the body, thiamine is used in
the production of an enzyme that is a natural cholinesterase
inhibitor.
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A deficiency of thiamine can lead to impaired
vision and damaged nerves. One study found that among a
group of people who ate a diet deficient in the B vitamins,
there was a preponderance of open-angle glaucoma, while
there was no glaucoma among those who ate a more balanced
diet. Food sources of thiamine include brewer's yeast, peas,
wheat germ, pasta, peanuts, whole grains, beans, liver, and
pork.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): This vitamin is involved in the
breakdown of dietary fat, the synthesis of fatty acids, the
activation of vitamin B6 and folic acid, and the synthesis
of corticosteroids, red blood cells, and glycogen, the form
in which energy-supplying glucose is stored in the muscles
and liver. A deficiency of riboflavin can affect the mucous
membranes and moist tissues in the eyes and nose. It also
maintains the supply of glutathione, a major antioxidant, in
the lens of the eye. |
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Dietary sources of riboflavin include brewer's yeast,
broccoli, wheat germ, almonds, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt,
pasta, kidney, liver, and heart. Processing foods destroys
this vitamin, and pasteurization of milk products depletes
it.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin, Niacinamide): Vitamin B3 occurs in two forms,
niacin and niacinamide. Niacin is often used to lower blood pressure
because it dilates blood vessel. It is also helpful for lowering the
level of cholesterol in the blood. Because of its effect on blood
vessels, some ophthalmologists consider it useful for increasing the
flow of blood to the optic nerve.
Food sources of niacin include brewer's yeast, peanuts, soybeans,
and whole grains, as well as high-quality protein foods such as
eggs, milk, poultry, fish, meat, and liver. Cooking depletes foods
of niacin, and alcohol destroys it. If taken in supplement form,
niacin can cause a temporary flush shortly after ingestion, and if
taken in excess doses over prolonged periods of time, it may cause
liver damage.
Niacinamide is not believed to have these effects, however, it is
not considered as effective at lowering cholesterol or increasing
circulation. The body can make niacin from the amino acid
tryptophan, but thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 are needed for
this process.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Vitamin B6 is involved in many metabolic
processes, including the
breakdown of amino acids (important for protein formation), fats,
and carbohydrates; the release of glycogen from the liver to supply
energy; and the synthesis of antibodies, red blood cells, DNA, and
elastin.
Food sources of vitamin B6 include soybeans, lima beans, legumes in
general, avocados, bananas, walnuts, buckwheat, peanuts, chicken,
steak, tuna, kidney, beef, pork, veal, and salmon. Oral
contraceptives and other drugs may deplete this vitamin, and older
people often have deficiencies.
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Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is necessary, along with folic acid, for
the synthesis of RNA and DNA; helps to maintain nerve tissue; and is
active in glucose metabolism. A 1958 study of the effect of vitamin
B12 on optic nerve tissue revealed that it increases the strength of
the tissues in new cases of glaucoma, but is not effective for
long-standing cases. A later study, in 1969, confirmed that it is
beneficial for optic neuropathy provided the treatment is started
within six months of visual deterioration.
In a 1976 study on laboratory monkeys, scientists produced severe
vitamin B12 deficiency in the animals, and five of them developed
gross visual impairments. Autopsies of the deficient animals showed
degeneration of the peripheral visual pathway. No abnormalities were
found in a B12-supplemented control animal. |
Food sources of vitamin B12 include liver, oysters, poultry, fish,
clams, salmon, and eggs. Since this vitamin is found mainly in
animal foods, strict vegetarians may need to take supplements, as
may older people, people who consume alcohol, and women who take
birth control pills, who may have trouble absorbing B12 from foods.
Folic Acid: Folic acid, another of the B vitamins, prevents anemia,
is important for new cell growth, and is vital in the early months
of fetal development (a deficiency has been linked to spina bifida).
Experts have found that some patients with visual problems improve
when folic acid is added to their diet. It is easy to get enough
folic acid if you eat a lot of raw green, leafy vegetables and
fresh, ripe raw fruits. Folic acid is also present in liver, eggs,
asparagus, bean sprouts, garbanzo beans, whole wheat, and salmon.
Cooking destroys folic acid.
Pantothenic Acid: Pantothenic acid might be called a brain chemical.
A deficiency may result in nerve and optic degeneration. Pantothenic
acid is important for energy production and the synthesis of red
blood cells, cholesterol, and steroids. It also stimulates
antibodies and intestinal absorption.
Major sources of pantothenic acid include liver, kidney, heart,
brewer's yeast, sunflower seeds, peanuts, buckwheat flour, royal bee
jelly, egg yolk, bran, fish, and whole-grain cereals. Before modern
food processing, deficiencies of this nutrient were uncommon.
However, growing foods in sterilized soils and fumigating stored
foods with methyl bromide greatly reduces the amount of the vitamin
in foods.
Biotin: Biotin is an energy metabolizer and a synthesizer of
antibodies, niacin, and digestive enzymes. A daily supplement of
biotin lowers blood sugar levels in diabetics, and a similar dose
has been effective in lowering IOP in some patients. Biotin is
normally produced by the bacteria in the intestines. As a result, it
is possible to become deficient in biotin if you take heavy doses of
antibiotics.
Food sources of biotin include liver, kidney, egg yolk, milk, yeast,
whole grains, cauliflower, active culture yogurt, nuts, legumes, and
fish. If you are interested in experimenting with biotin
supplementation, seek the advice of your health care provider.
Choline: Choline, also called a brain chemical, is synthesized with
the aid of pantothenic acid and acetylcholine, that trusty chemical
messenger so important in the management of glaucoma. It is also a
major component of lecithin, an important compound for controlling
the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Healthy individuals normally
produce choline.
Unprocessed foods, egg yolks, soybeans, fish, cereal, legumes,
lecithin, and liver are also rich sources of choline. Most fatty
foods contain choline, but cannot, unfortunately, be recommended
because of all the other negative effects they may have. |
