{"id":9642,"date":"2026-01-09T20:10:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T20:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/?p=9642"},"modified":"2026-01-10T20:37:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T20:37:26","slug":"amd-diet-vs-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/age-related-macular-degeneration\/amd-diet-vs-supplements\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a balanced diet sufficient, or is nutritional supplementation necessary in AMD?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects central vision. Evidence shows AREDS\/AREDS2<\/strong> supplements can reduce progression<\/em> in intermediate AMD<\/strong>, but they neither prevent AMD nor improve vision on their own.<\/p>\n

What the evidence says: AREDS & AREDS2<\/h2>\n

NEI trials conclude that AREDS\/AREDS2 reduces the risk of progression from intermediate to advanced AMD by ~25%<\/strong>. AREDS2 replaces beta-carotene<\/em> with lutein\/zeaxanthin<\/em>, safer for current\/former smokers.<\/p>\n

Early AMD: diet, follow-up and risk-factor control<\/h2>\n

In early stages, prioritise an antioxidant\u2011rich diet<\/strong> (oily fish, leafy greens, colourful produce, EVOO, nuts, avocado) and smoking cessation, without routine supplements if diet is adequate.<\/p>\n

Intermediate AMD: when to use AREDS2<\/h2>\n

For intermediate AMD, combining a healthy diet<\/strong> with AREDS2 supplementation<\/strong> reduces the risk of progression. Typical components include vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc\/copper<\/em>, lutein<\/em>, zeaxanthin<\/em>. Individualise with your ophthalmologist.<\/p>\n

Advanced AMD: ophthalmic management first<\/h2>\n

In advanced stages, classic multivitamins show no clear benefit; the priority is specialised ophthalmic care<\/a>. In selected cases, consider omega\u20113 (1\u20132 g\/day)<\/strong> as supportive nutrition under supervision.<\/p>\n

Food vs. pills: what to prioritise<\/h2>\n

Nutrients are generally better absorbed from food<\/strong> than tablets. If maintaining an optimal diet is difficult, AREDS2 may be indicated in intermediate AMD.<\/p>\n

Explore our Eye Diseases<\/a> section and book an appointment<\/a> for a comprehensive macular evaluation.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Medical review<\/h2>\n

Content reviewed by:
\nDr. Antonio Soler Garc\u00eda<\/strong>,
\nMedical Director at Soleyes Fuengirola<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Medical licence (Spain):<\/strong> 292907906<\/p>\n

Updated:<\/strong> 09\/01\/2025<\/p>\n

Disclaimer<\/h3>\n

This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace<\/strong>
\npersonalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have symptoms or concerns,
\nplease book an appointment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects central vision. Evidence shows AREDS\/AREDS2 supplements can reduce progression in intermediate AMD,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[139],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-age-related-macular-degeneration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9642","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9642"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9646,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9642\/revisions\/9646"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soleyes.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}