April 25, 2023 — A new form of omega-3 fatty acid could help reverse visual decline caused by age-related macular degeneration.
The condition, which affects one in 10 Americans over 50 years old, and especially those with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, has been found to be treatable in mice in a study using a new type of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that can cross into the retinas from the bloodstream. The study found mice bred to exhibit processes similar to those found in early-onset Alzheimer’s disease treated with the human equivalent of 250 to 500 milligrams of LPC-DHA daily for six months showed a 96 percent improvement in retinal DHA content, and preserved retinal structure and function that was likely the result of the presence of DHA in their retinas, according to a press release from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.