AREDS 2
AREDS 2
The Age-related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), initiated in 2006 and still in course, enrolled 4000 patients with non-neovascular AMD consisting of large drusen in both eyes or advanced AMD in one eye and large drusen in the fellow eye (AREDS categories 3 and 4).
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of dietary supplements – xanthophylls (10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin) and/or long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (1 g of docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) – on the progression to advanced AMD.
An additional goal of the study is to assess whether forms of the AREDS nutritional supplement with reduced zinc and/or no beta-carotene works as well as the original supplement in reducing the risk of progression to advanced AMD.
AREDS 2 formulation
AREDS 2 formulation
Antioxidant vitamins – 500 mg of vitamin C;
400 IU of vitamin E
15 mg of beta-carotene
80 mg of zinc oxide and
2 mg of cupric oxide
Macular pigments – xanthophylls
10 mg of lutein
2 mg of z eaxanthin
1 g of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA +EPA)
This study will also investigate whether the current AREDS formulation might be modified by eliminating beta-carotene.
As previously mentioned, beta-carotene, which is not present within the eye, constitutes a problem for smokers, due to the high incidence of lung cancer in this patient group.
A secondary randomisation in AREDS 2 will evaluate the possibility of eliminating and/or lowering the amount of zinc in the AREDS formulation, since zinc levels in the current formulation are considered high and available evidence suggests that the body is only able to absorb 25 mg of zinc per day.