A small, randomized trial conducted at the University of California, Davis found that eating a small serving of dried goji berries daily may help prevent or delay the development of age-related macular degeneration in healthy middle-aged people.
More than 11 million people in the United States and 170 million worldwide are affected by the leading cause of vision loss in older people.
Glenn Yiu, an associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, is a co-author of the study.
The researchers found that 13 healthy participants aged 45 to 65 who consumed 28 grams of goji berries five times a week for 90 days had a higher density of protective pigments in their eyes. 14 study participants who consumed a commercial supplement for eye health over the same period did not show an increase.
The group that ate goji berries, zeaxanthin, and lutein had higher levels of the pigments that filter out harmful blue light. Both help to protect the eyes.
"Lutein and zeaxanthin are like sunscreen for your eyes," said lead author Xiang Li, a PhD candidate in the Nutritional Biology Program.
The higher the zeaxanthin and lutein in your eye, the more protection you have. Our study found that even healthy eyes can be improved with a small daily serving of goji berries.
The journal published the study.
There are berries used for eye health in China.
The fruit of two shrubby bushes found in northwest China are the goji berries. The dried berries are used in Chinese soups and herbal tea. They are similar to raisins and can be eaten as a snack.
Goji berries are said to have "eye brightening" qualities. Li grew up in northern China and wondered if there were any properties to "eye brightening".
"Many types of eye diseases exist, so it is not clear which disease 'eye brightening' is targeting," said Li.
She found that goji berries contain high quantities of zeaxanthin and lutein, which are known to reduce the risk of eye diseases related to age related diseases. The form of zeaxanthin in goji berries is a highly bioavailable form, meaning it can be absorbed into the body so it can be used.
The current treatment for intermediate stages of the disease uses supplements that contain vitamins C, E, zinc, copper and zeaxanthin. There are no known therapies that have been shown to impact early stages of the disease.
Yiu says that the cause of the disease is complex and multifactorial, and involves a mix of genetic risks, age-associated changes, and environmental factors. A regular comprehensive eye exam can help detect early stages of the disease.
Goji berries are a natural food source that can improve the vision of healthy people. The next step will be to examine goji berries in patients.
The study size was small and more research is needed to understand the results.
The University of California, Davis has five additional authors on the study.
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The materials were provided by the University of California - Davis. The original was written by Lisa Howard. Content can be edited for style and length.
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