NEWSLETTER. Dan Roberts. International MD Support Group. In This Issue From the Director

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1 International MD Support Group In This Issue 1 Coming Events 2-5 News Briefs The Official IMDSG Source Book Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Daniel L. Roberts (Marlowe & Co., NY) The IMDSG is sponsored by The one stop shop for all low vision needs NEWSLETTER MD Support, Inc. Volume 2, Issue 6 - June 14, 2007 From the Director The mission of the IMDSG is to bring the world together in an understanding of low vision from central vision loss and in the ways we can live quality lives in spite of it. With 75 affiliates and over 800 Internet hits each month from more than 20 countries, it is heartwarming to see so many groups and individuals tuning in to our programs. One of our most recent success stories comes from Sam Fong in Singapore. His support group has evolved in only a few months to become the Macular Degeneration Society - Singapore, with pledges of support coming from the Singapore Action Group for the Elderly, RP Society, Glaucoma Society, government hospitals and private hospitals. The CEO of the country s national Health Promotion Board launched MDS on June 9, and I was pleased to deliver a remote congratulatory message to the large gathering. I know you will join me in wishing the MDS the best of luck with their important effort. According to Sam, This is truly a historic moment, but the hard work lies ahead. Thanks for IMDSG - it is a blessing to the world! I appreciate that, Sam, and it is also a blessing to have people like you to help carry our message. Dan Roberts 1

2 News Briefs IMDSG Newsletter Omega-3 Proving to be Beneficial on Several Fronts Recent studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids and fish consumption may reduce the risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Alzheimer's disease, inflammation and depression. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group showed that dietary total Omega-3 and docosahexaenic acid (DHA), a fatty acid, are beneficial to people with AMD. The study further verified what leading nutritionists have been saying for years: that several servings of the right kinds of fish per week are good for the retina. Fish with the highest amount of Omega-3 are wild chinook or sockeye salmon, European anchovies, Atlantic/Pacific herring, small Atlantic/Pacific mackerel, black and red caviar, shrimp and Pacific sardines. Omega-3 can also be obtained from freshly-ground flaxseed or in stable, mercury-free fish oil supplements. Up to 200 mg of supplementary DHA is recommended for people who do not get enough fish in their diet. Another study suggests that DHA may help prevent the accumulation of tau, a protein thought to be associated with brain lesions in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from the University of California Irvine fed genetically modified mice different ratios of Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and Omega-6 linoleic acid. Omega-6, which initiates the body s beneficial inflammation response to disease or injury, is already plentiful in a normal diet, and too much of it can lead to uncontrolled inflammation--thought to be a major cause of AMD. Mice that were fed a higher amount of Omega-3 and DHA than Omega-6, and mice that were fed only DHA, had lower levels of tau and a peptide called beta-amyloid (a constituent of amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients). The study also showed that DHA works better alone than in combination with Omega-6 fatty acids. 2

3 Some types of fish contain high amounts of Omega-6 and should, therefore, be avoided. Fish that contain dangerously high amounts are grouper, halibut, pompano, catfish, and Atlantic salmon. Omega-3 also seems to help lower levels of depression. Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus found that people who consumed much more Omega-6 than Omega-3 fatty acids reported more symptoms of depression. All of these findings give further support to the current AREDS2 research, which is looking at adding Omega-3 fatty acid DHA to the original formula. Meanwhile, strong evidence suggests that it should be an integral part of everyone's diet, either through food or through supplementation. (Some nutritional information in this article was provided by Ellen Troyer, MT, MA, Executive Vice President & Chief Research Officer, Biosyntrx.com.) You May Need Vitamin D If you are protecting your retinas by avoiding direct sunlight, you may also be depriving yourself of a natural source of vitamin D. This is the vitamin which allows your body to absorb enough calcium for strong bones. It is also important to protect us against muscle weakness and possibly a risk of breast, prostrate, and colon cancer. In a Reader's Digest article ("Custom-Fit Vitamins," by Lisa Davis, November 2001), endocrynologist Michael Holick from Boston University recommended that adults expose their hands, arms, and faces to the sun for at least fifteen minutes three times a week. For people with macular degeneration, this would, of course, require wearing 100% UV protective sunglasses. If, however, this kind of exposure concerns you, then the alternative is to take at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily, which can be gotten from a multi- IMDSG Newsletter 3

4 vitamin. If you are over 70, at least 600 IU is recommended, which means taking an additional supplement. A paper published in the May 2007 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology confirmed that supplemental vitamin D may was inversely associated with early AMD, but only in individuals who did not consume milk daily. The researchers assessed 7,752 individuals, 11% of whom had AMD. They also found that levels of serum vitamin D were inversely associated with early AMD but not advanced AMD. Good News For Chocolate Lovers, Cautionary Advice for Wine Drinkers A report published in the December 2003 issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry announced that cocoa has more antioxidant power that wine or tea. We have been told that red wine and green tea are beneficial for our retinas, but it looks like we should be drinking cocoa, too. Cocoa has almost twice the antioxidant power of wine, 2-3 times that of green tea, and 4-5 times that of black tea. Scientist Chang Yong Lee headed up the study under the auspices of Cornell University in New York and Seoul National University in Korea. In an interview with a reporter for the AARP Bulletin (January 2004), Dr. Lee suggested a cup of hot chocolate in the morning, a cup of green tea in the afternoon, and a glass of red wine in the evening. This combination would satisfy our daily antioxidant requirement. But remember: all things in moderation. Michael Holick (see above article) points out that people who drink more than two glasses of wine daily could be doubling their risk of colon cancer, and women who drink one or two glasses of wine daily may raise their chances of developing breast cancer by up to forty per cent. Since a glass of red wine daily has been shown to be beneficial to the retina, its negative effects may be lessened by an intake of 400 to 600 mcg of vitamin B (folic acid). This is the 4

5 equivalent of four to nine glasses of orange juice per day or two cups of boiled spinach, or it can be taken in a multivitamin. Next Month: "Alternative Medicine" Descriptions of non-conventional therapies, including acupuncture, micro-acupuncture, chelation therapy, RHEO therapy, homeo-pathy, microcurrent stimulation and the Santa Fe Protocol. This will help you make educated decisions if you are thinking about trying therapies outside of the mainstream. 5