Antioxidants May Prevent Cataracts

Age-related cataracts have long been linked to oxidative stress. Antioxidants may help stave off the disease.

Oxidative stress has long been implicated in the development of age-related cataracts, and recently published findings support the use of antioxidant supplements to reduce this risk. In a study of 2,464 Australians ages 49 and older over a 10-year period, it was found that those with the highest total intake of vitamin C from diet and supplements had a reduced risk of nuclear cataract, as did those with an above-average intake of a combination of antioxidants—vitamins C and E, beta carotene and zinc. A nuclear cataract is the kind that forms in the nucleus (center of the lens), and is believed due to natural aging changes.