The AREDS2 nutrient supplement formula was better at slowing AMD progression, reaffirmed by a long-term follow-up study.

The AREDS2 nutrient supplement formula was better at slowing AMD progression, reaffirmed by a long-term follow-up study.

A new Age-related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) report, AREDS2 Report 28, was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Ophthalmology on June 2, 2022. It showed an additional 20% reduced risk of progression to late age-related macular degeneration (late AMD) for people taking the AREDS2 formula – lutein/zeaxanthin plus the AREDS formula– compared to those originally assigned to receive beta-carotene plus the AREDS formula.

It had been more than two decades since the first AREDS report was published. This latest AREDS2 report further helped us understand the long-term benefits and risks of the AREDS2 formula, which replaced beta-carotene in the original study with lutein/zeaxanthin. 

The original AREDS report published in 2001 showed that people at high risk of developing late AMD, could lower their risk by taking vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc with copper. 

(Note: Late AMD, the stage associated with severe visual loss, occurs in two forms, geographic atrophy and wet AMD.) 

However, due to concerns that beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in people who smoke, new formulas were tested in the AREDS2 study. 

After five years, researchers found that the AREDS2 formula (lutein/zeaxanthin plus the AREDS formula) could reduce the risk of AMD progression by 26% and didn’t increase the risk of lung cancer. Furthermore, they also found from an additional analysis that patients with intermediate AMD in both eyes were the group benefiting from the supplement*. 

These results confirmed that switching our formula from beta-carotene to lutein and zeaxanthin was the right choice - Emily Chew, MD

In the latest AREDS2 report, researchers continued for an additional five years of observation and followed up with 3,883 of the original 4,203 participants. All participants in the beta-carotene group had already switched to the lutein/zeaxanthin containing treatment.

After ten years, participants who received the AREDS2 formula throughout had an additional 20% reduced risk of progression comparing those who switched from the beta-carotene containing formula. The study also showed that beta-carotene increased the risk of lung cancer for people who smoked by nearly double, even though beta-carotene was already discontinued.

“This 10-year data confirms that not only is the new formula safer, it’s actually better at slowing AMD progression,” noted Emily Chew, M.D., director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Application at the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the lead author of the study report in the NEI’s press release.

Learn more about the AREDS2 supplement.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and AREDS2 are clinical trials sponsored by the National Eye Institute. Click here to learn more.

* Based on all evidence available, NEI indicated the current understanding is that, 

• If you have intermediate AMD in one or both eyes, the AREDS2 supplement may be able to stop its progression into late AMD - the wet type. 
• If you have late AMD in only one eye, the AREDS2 supplement may slow down the progression of AMD in the other eye. 
• If you already have late AMD in both eyes, the AREDS2 supplement probably won’t help.

Taking supplements may be helpful. There also are possible health risks. Ask your doctor if taking supplements is appropriate for you.

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