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Vitamin May Guard Against Macular Degeneration

NEW YORK (CBS/KDKA) -- New research reveals that Vitamin D may help protect women from a leading cause of blindness.

One in ten Americans over the age of 40 suffer from macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S.

According to a new study in the Archives of Ophthalmology, women under age 75 who have higher levels of Vitamin D in their blood are less likely to develop macular degeneration later in life.

"My theory is that Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties and inflammation has played a big part in macular degeneration," explains Dr. Shantan Reddy from NYU Langone Medical Center.

While sunshine helps boost the levels of Vitamin D in the bloodstream, the study suggests that eating foods that are rich in Vitamin D like leafy vegetables and fish is also necessary to get these benefits.

RELATED LINKS:

  • "Vitamin D Status and Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Postmenopausal Women," Archives of Ophthalmology (Vol. 129 No. 4, April 2011)
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