A cohort study of the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS) and AREDS2 randomized clinical trials analyzed data collected from a combined total of 7788 participants (56% women and 44% men) with non-late AMD in 13,511 total eyes and a mean age of 71.1.
The study assessed the interactions of dietary patterns and the association between dietary nitrate intake and the development of late AMD or large drusen.
What did they find?
Across the combined cohorts, dietary nitrate intake was associated with a decreased risk of progression to late AMD as well as a decreased risk of geographic atrophy (GA) and neovascular AMD (nAMD).
However, increased nitrate intake in AREDS was only associated with a decreased risk of late AMD and GA—but not nAMD. In AREDS2, there was no association between increased nitrate intake and decreased risk of late AMD.
Furthermore, after adjusting for Mediterranean dietary patterns, the association disappeared.
So what does that mean?
While increased dietary nitrate intake may be a factor in lowering the risk of late AMD, the authors of the study warn against generating too strong of conclusions from this data. They argue that no new clinical recommendations can be supported just yet, and further research should be done before nitrate supplementation alone can be recommended as an addition to the clinician’s armamentarium.
Take home.
This research more strongly supports a healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals as an effective long-term method for patients to reduce their risk