List Of 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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