Dried goji berries may provide protection against age-related vision
loss

Date:
January 13, 2022
Source:
University of California - Davis
Summary:
Regularly eating a small serving of dried goji berries may provide
protection against age-related macular degeneration, the leading
cause of vision loss in seniors.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Regularly eating a small serving of dried goji berries may help prevent
or delay the development of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD,
in healthy middle-aged people, according to a small, randomized trial
conducted at the University of California, Davis.


==========================================================================
AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in older people, and is estimated
to affect more than 11 million in the United States and 170 million
globally.

"AMD affects your central field of vision and can affect your ability
to read or recognize faces," said Glenn Yiu, a co-author of the study
and an associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences.

The researchers found that 13 healthy participants aged 45 to 65 who
consumed 28 grams (about one ounce, or a handful) of goji berries five
times a week for 90 days increased the density of protective pigments in
their eyes. In contrast, 14 study participants who consumed a commercial supplement for eye health over the same period did not show an increase.

The pigments that increased in the group that ate goji berries, lutein
and zeaxanthin, filter out harmful blue light and provide antioxidant protection.

Both help to protect the eyes during aging.

"Lutein and zeaxanthin are like sunscreen for your eyes," said lead
author Xiang Li, a doctoral candidate in the Nutritional Biology Program.



==========================================================================
"The higher the lutein and zeaxanthin in your retina, the more protection
you have. Our study found that even in normal healthy eyes, these optical pigments can be increased with a small daily serving of goji berries,"
said Li.

The study was published in the journal Nutrients.

Berries used for eye health in China Goji berries are the fruit of Lycium chinense and Lycium barbarum, two species of shrubby bushes found in
northwest China. The dried berries are a common ingredient in Chinese
soups and are popular as herbal tea. They are similar to raisins and
eaten as a snack.

In Chinese medicine, goji berries are said to have "eye brightening"
qualities.

Li grew up in northern China and became curious whether there were
any physiological properties to "eye brightening." "Many types of
eye diseases exist, so it is not clear which disease 'eye brightening'
is targeting," said Li.



==========================================================================
She researched the bioactive compounds in goji berries and found they
contain high quantities of lutein and zeaxanthin, which are known to
reduce the risk of eye diseases related to AMD. The form of zeaxanthin in
goji berries is also a highly bioavailable form, according to Li, meaning
it is readily absorbed in the digestive system so the body can use it.

The current treatment for intermediate stages of AMD uses special
dietary supplements, called AREDS, that contain vitamins C, E, zinc,
copper and lutein and zeaxanthin. No known therapy has yet been shown
to impact early stages of AMD.

The cause of AMD is complex and multifactorial, according to Yiu, and
involves a mix of genetic risks, age-associated changes, and environmental factors like smoking, diet and sun exposure. Early stages of AMD do not
have symptoms; however, physicians can detect AMD and other eye problems
during a regular comprehensive eye exam.

"Our study shows goji berries, which are a natural food source, can
improve macular pigments of healthy participants beyond taking high-dose nutritional supplements," said Yiu. "The next step for our research
will be to examine goji berries in patients with early-stage AMD."
Although the results are promising, the researchers note that the study
size was small and more research will be needed.

Additional authors on the study include Roberta R. Holt, Carl L. Keen,
Lawrence S. Morse and Robert M. Hackman from the University of California, Davis.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
University_of_California_-_Davis. Original written by Lisa Howard. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Xiang Li, Roberta R. Holt, Carl L. Keen, Lawrence S. Morse,
Glenn Yiu,
Robert M. Hackman. Goji Berry Intake Increases Macular
Pigment Optical Density in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Pilot
Trial. Nutrients, 2021; 13 (12): 4409 DOI: 10.3390/nu13124409 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220113151356.htm
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