A new analysis suggests
that eating two or more servings per week of fatty fish such as salmon can
significantly reduce diabetics’ risk of retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy develops when elevated
blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina. It is estimated more than 80% of patients with
type 2 diabetes will develop some form of diabetic retinopathy within 20 years
of diagnosis.
The current findings were
drawn from a five-year Spanish study that tracked the dietary intake and health
of participants (ages 55-80) with type 2 diabetes. They found that those who routinely had fatty
fish twice per week were 48% less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than
those who consumed less.
Why might intake of
fatty fish be protective of eye health? Omega
3 fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the eye where they are
believed to help protect against oxidative damage caused by elevated sugar
levels, systemic inflammation, and age-related changes. While it is believed that the omega 3 fatty
acids are the constituents in fish that promote eye health, studies in which
individuals supplemented with fish oil rather than eating the whole fish have
not yielded as positive results. This
may be due to benefits from other nutrients in the fish as well as the fact
that the omega 3’s found in foods are fresher and less degraded than the oils
extracted for supplements.
What
to do: To minimize
the damage caused by diabetic eye disease, the most important measure is to
control your blood sugar. Controlling blood pressure is also important for
eye health. Fatty fish include salmon, mackerel,
sardines, tuna, and rainbow trout. Regular
intake of fatty fish is not only is good for the eyes but also the other
systems of the body, especially the cardiovascular and neural systems. The amount of fish eaten in this study provided
about 500mg daily of omega-3 fatty acids but do not supplement with fish oil
without consulting your provider.
Article
adapted from:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818131137.htm
Source:
Sala-Vila A, Díaz-López
A, Valls-Pedret C, et al. Dietary
marine ω-3 fatty acids and incident sight-threatening retinopathy in
middle-aged and older individuals with type 2 diabetes: Prospective
investigation from the PREDIMED Trial. JAMA
Ophthalmology. Published online August 18, 2016. DOI:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2906
Larsen, M. Eat
your fish or go for nuts. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online August 18, 2016. DOI:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2942
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