Vitamin C Is Associated with Reduced Risk of Cataract in a Mediterranean Population

Abstract

Cataract is an important visual problem of older people and a substantial health care cost in many countries. Most studies investigating risk factors for cataract have been conducted in the United States, and there is less information on the possible role of dietary factors in European populations. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the association of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein) and minerals (zinc and selenium) and risk of cataract in a Mediterranean population. Cases with cataract (343) and 334 age/sex frequency-matched controls aged 55 to 74 y were selected from an ophthalmic outreach clinic in Valencia, Spain. Participants were interviewed about their diet using a Food Frequency Questionnaire, and other information on potential confounders, such as smoking, alcohol, and education. Blood samples were analyzed by a colorimetric method for vitamin C and by reversed-phase HLPC for other blood antioxidants. Blood levels of vitamin C above 49 micromol/L were associated with a 64% reduced odds for cataract (P < 0.0001). Dietary intake of vitamins C, E and selenium were marginally associated with decreased odds (P = 0.09, P = 0.09, P = 0.07, respectively), whereas moderately high levels of blood lycopene (>0.30 micromol/L) were associated with a 46% increased odds of cataract (P = 0.04). Our results strengthen the evidence for a protective role for vitamin C on the aging lens as this effect was seen in a population characterized by high vitamin C intakes.

Risk factors for cataract subtypes waterclefts and retrodots: two case–control studies

“…52 In the Boston Nurses' Health Study, after adjustment for other nutrients vitamin C intake remained significantly protective against nuclear opacification as did duration of vitamin C supplement use and plasma measures of vitamins C and E. 53 In the Lens Opacities Case-control Study, the risk of nuclear opacities was reduced to less than one half in participants with higher levels of vitamin E. 45 In a Mediterranean case-control study of mixed cataract dietary intake of vitamins C, E and selenium were marginally associated with decreased risk, and blood levels of vitamin C above 49 mmol/l were associated with a 64% reduction of the odds for cataract. 54 In the present case-control studies we did not find associations with dietary vitamin C. In a study in the north of England the risk of nuclear cataract, after adjustment, was lowest in people with the highest plasma concentrations of alphacarotene or beta-carotene; cortical cataract risk was lowest in people with the highest plasma concentrations of lycopene and PSC cataract risk was lowest in those with higher concentrations of lutein. 55 In the present study, multivariable logistic regression incorporating all significant univariable results confirmed at a 5% probability level that the number of 'any' analgesics used in the past year and the total lifetime sunlight exposure were significant independent risk factors for waterclefts, with higher exposures to each conferring greater risk.…”

Vitamin E and risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis

“…Dietary vitamin E intake and risk of age-related cataract The association between dietary vitamin E intake and ARC risk was examined in eight articles (15)(16)(17)43,45,50,53,56) with eight studies including 15 021 participants and 2258 cases. The highest v. the lowest dietary vitamin E intake was statistically significantly associated with the risk of ARC (RR = 0·73; 95 % CI 0·58, 0·92; I 2 = 69·1 %; P heterogeneity = 0·002; Fig.…”

“…Serum tocopherol levels and the risk of age-related cataract A forest plot of the seventeen included studies from fourteen articles (11)(12)(13)18,41,42,46,(48)(49)(50)(51)(54)(55)(56) with 17 194 participants and 4179 cases is shown in Fig. 4.…”

Mejora de la calidad nutritiva del tomate: búsqueda de fuentes de variabilidad, estudio de la influencia del ambiente y determinación del control genético

“…Las vitaminas son moléculas orgánicas esenciales para el normal crecimiento, desarrollo y reproducción de humanos y animales. Webb et al, 1997;You et al, 2000;Jamison et al, 2001), y cataratas (Van der Pols, 1999;Tessier et al, 1998;Valero et al, 2002). La participación en la síntesis de 5 Introducción colágeno es otra de las funciones conocidas de la vitamina C (Phillips et al, 1997; Libby y Aikawa, 2002).…”

“…La función más conocida de la vitamina C es como agente antiescurbuto (Magiorkinis et al, 2011). Además, la vitamina C puede jugar un papel clave en el retraso de la patogenicidad de varias enfermedades degenerativas, como enfermedades cardiovasculares Libby y Aikawa, 2002), ciertos cánceres (Byers y Guerrero, 1995;Ramaswamy y Krishnamoorthy, 1996;O'Toole y Lombart, 1996;Webb et al, 1997;You et al, 2000;Jamison et al, 2001), y cataratas ( Van der Pols, 1999;Tessier et al, 1998;Valero et al, 2002). La participación en la síntesis de colágeno es otra de las funciones conocidas de la vitamina C (Phillips et al, 1997;Libby y Aikawa, 2002).…”