Preservation of eyesight is vital for quality of health. A new study shows that the higher the vitamin D level¹ in women ages 50 – 75, the lower the risk for developing age-related macular degeneration.

Those with a dietary and supplement intake of at least 720 IU of vitamin D per day cut the risk in half for developing the early signs of this common problem that can lead to blindness. I recently reported that 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day may be the minimum for cancer protection. It is likely that vitamin D helps keep a lid on inflammation in the eye that otherwise contributes to damage.

This new study means that adding vitamin D should be considered along with other nutrients that have been shown to protect against macular degeneration to help preserve eyesight during aging. Other nutrients include the antioxidant carotenes lutein and zeaxanthin, DHA, and B vitamins.