Patient information sheet
AREDS2 eye supplements: what the research actually found
AREDS2 is the name of a clinical study, not a brand and not a certification. This sheet explains who the study applied to and what to look for on a label.
1. Does this apply to you?
The studies found a benefit in one group only: people who already have intermediate age-related macular degeneration in one or both eyes, or advanced AMD in one eye. In that group, the supplement was associated with a lower risk of the condition progressing further.
In people with no AMD, or with very early changes only, the studies found no benefit. Intermediate AMD usually causes no symptoms, so it cannot be worked out from how your sight feels. Only an eye examination can establish it.
2. What was in the tested formulation
Six ingredients, at these daily amounts. Most products reach them with two capsules a day rather than one, so read the amount per daily serving, not per capsule.
| Ingredient | Daily amount | On your bottle |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 500 mg | Tick if present |
| Vitamin E | 400 IU (or 180 mg) | Tick if present |
| Lutein | 10 mg | Tick if present |
| Zeaxanthin | 2 mg | Tick if present |
| Zinc | 80 mg or 25 mg | Tick if present |
| Copper | 2 mg | Tick if present |
3. Two things worth checking on any bottle
- Zinc listed, copper missing. Zinc at these amounts interferes with copper absorption over time. Copper was included in the study formulation to prevent that. If a product lists zinc and no copper, ask a pharmacist about it.
- Beta-carotene listed. This ingredient was in the older 1990s formulation and was removed from the later one. In people who smoke or used to, higher rates of lung cancer were seen in those taking it. Products containing it are still sold. If you have ever smoked, raise this before continuing a bottle that lists it.
4. Two questions for your next appointment
- Do I have drusen, and if so, how large and how many?
- What stage of AMD would you call this?
The answer takes a sentence and it decides whether any of the rest of this sheet applies to you. It is worth more than the price of any bottle.
5. What the supplement was not found to do
It was not found to improve eyesight, sharpen vision, prevent AMD from developing, or affect cataracts, glaucoma or dry eye. The effect measured was on the risk of an existing condition getting worse, and nothing beyond that. Two capsules a day taken for years is what the studies tested, so it is not something with a short course.