Vitamin C and Cataracts
Submitted by Eye Didn’t Know Blog
There is a much higher concentration of vitamin C in the aqueous humor (the fluid in the front of the eye which bathes the cornea, iris, and lens) than in the bloodstream. For many years, some researchers have speculated that taking vitamin C could lessen the incidence of cataracts.
A new study from Sweden refutes that claim. Over the course of ten years, women who took vitamin C supplements had a higher incidence of cataracts than those that did not. Those on birth control pills and vitamin C had an even higher rate. The increase was not huge, but was significant.
This study and others show that until properly controlled studies are done, speculating on the benefit of vitamin supplementation often is fraught with errors, (and in the case of many purveyors of supplements, wishful thinking, misrepresentation, and fraud).
