Cook up some fish to keep your vision sharp in old age: study
In yet another study touting the benefits of omega-3s in healthy aging, a new study out of Canada has found that choosing fish for dinner could help stave off age-related vision loss.
In normal aging, vision loss results from the accumulation of a toxic molecule at the back of the eyes which builds up in the retina. But after feeding lab mice with an omega-3 fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, the research team out of the University of Alberta found that the nutrient -- found in oily fish like salmon -- prevented the buildup of the toxin which normally increases twofold as people age.
The Canadian study, announced last week, is the latest to build on research vaunting the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy aging. Research published earlier this year in the journal Neurologyfound that a diet low in omega-3 fatty acids may cause the brain to age faster.
Similarly, a study published last year in the Archives of Ophthalmology found that regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids reduced the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in women, a condition that results in the loss of central vision and is the main cause of blindness in people over the age of 50.
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Omega 3 fatty acids (popularly referred to as ω−3 fatty acids or n−3 fatty acids) are fats commonly found in marine and plant oils.
A fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits.
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye.
