Omega-3 fatty acids are well-known for being good for your heart and brain, but now there’s promising news for your eyes too—especially if you’re worried about conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or diabetes. Scientists have developed a new form of omega-3 that can actually reach the retina and help prevent vision loss. That’s something older supplements couldn’t do.
Why Your Eyes Need DHA
DHA (short for docosahexaenoic acid) is a type of omega-3 that plays a key role in eye health. It’s found in high amounts in the retina—the part of the eye that detects light and sends signals to the brain. When your retina has enough DHA, it works better. But when DHA levels drop, it can lead to vision problems.Low retinal DHA is common in people with Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and other eye-related conditions. Until now, getting enough DHA into the retina has been a real challenge, even with fish oil or DHA supplements.
The New Form That Works: LPC-DHA
Most DHA supplements come in a form called TAG-DHA. While it’s good for other parts of the body, it doesn’t cross into the retina. That’s where the new version—LPC-DHA—comes in. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago created this form to get past the body’s natural barriers and reach the retina effectively.In a study using mice that had Alzheimer’s-like conditions, LPC-DHA boosted DHA levels in the retina by a whopping 96% after just six months. Even better, it helped preserve the structure and function of the retina. The traditional DHA supplements didn’t do any of that.
What This Means for the Future
This discovery could change how we approach vision loss in Alzheimer’s patients—and potentially in people with other diseases like diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration. It’s a new way to protect the eyes by making sure they get the DHA they need.The dosage used in the study was equal to what humans might get from 250 to 500 milligrams of omega-3s per day. That’s about what you'd get from a regular supplement. While more research is needed in humans, this early work is an exciting step toward better eye health.
Source: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9ycgm0r4bme60ymkdbxxw/Dhavamani_abstract…
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