Macular degeneration can affect all people. While age is the most common factor, today’s world of digital screens may also accelerate the damage. MacuHealth and AREDS2 are dietary supplements that can help you maintain your eye health. These supplements provide the important nutrients for the eyes. So, what is the difference between MacuHealth vs AREDS2? Which one is better?
Continue reading below to learn more about:
– What macular degeneration is and how it affects people
– How to prevent or treat macular degeneration
– The formulas of MacuHealthvs AREDS2
– Which one that is more potent and effective
– The potential side effects of each product here
– Whether you should choose MacuHealth or AREDS2
Macular degeneration, or more popularly called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a problem that affects the retina. People with AMD lose their central vision, but their peripheral vision is still normal. For example, imagine that you are looking at a clock – you can see the numbers just fine, but you can’t see the hands. Most people don’t notice that they have AMD until their central vision becomes very blurry. See also: Preservision Lutein vs Areds.
AMD is primarily caused by age. People who are above 50 years old are more prone to the eye condition. However, AMD may also be caused by overweightness, poor eating habits, and hereditary factors. It is still debated whether blue light from digital screens also causes AMD to the general people, but some studies have shown that the blue light does increase the risk of AMD in people with poor diet or inherited retinal condition.
AMD happens when the macula, a part of the retina, is damaged. According to Medical News Today, there are two types of AMD, dry and wet. In dry AMD (which is the most common type), some parts of the macula get thinner over time, and tiny protein clumps called protein grow there. As the effect, the central vision is gradually reduced.
Meanwhile, in wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and leak blood or other fluids. Dry AMD may also cause wet AMD.So far, there is no known way to curedry AMD. You can only slow down its progress. That’s why preventing dry AMD is more recommended. Meanwhile, wet AMD can be treated by drug injections or laser therapy.
Treating Macular Degeneration
In order to prevent AMD in the first place, you need to have healthy eating habits and healthy lifestyle. You need to avoid smoking and eat a balanced diet, including leafy green vegetables. You can wear sunglasses that can filter harmful UV rays. In addition, supplements with antioxidants and zinc can also reduce the risk of AMD.
A large-scale study conducted by the National Eye Institute found that vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, copper, and zinc can reduce the risk of vision loss in people with intermediate to advanced dry AMD. However, beta-carotene may be dangerous for smokers because it may increase the risk of lung cancer in this group of people. Another formula with zeaxanthin, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids (no beta-carotene) can also reduce the risk of vision loss and is generally safer for smokers.
Now, let’s compare the ingredients of MacuHealth vs AREDS2. Both of these supplements contain lutein and zeaxanthin. However, the other ingredients are quite different.
Each serving of MacuHealth contains 10 mg meso-zeaxanthin, 10 mg lutein, 2 mg zeaxanthin, and 25 mg zinc. In addition, it also contains some inactive ingredients, including 3.75 IU vitamin E, 506 mg sunflower seed oil, 39 mg beeswax and fatty acid, and 37.5 mg beef gelatin. It contains lower zinc, so it is a good choice for people who need to avoid excessive zinc intake.
On the other hand, each serving of AREDS2 contains 5 mg lutein and 1 mg zeaxanthin. It also includes 250 mg vitamin C, 200 IU vitamin E, 1 mg copper, and 40 mg zinc. AREDS2 is recommended to be taken twice a day, so the amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin will be similar to MacuHealth while the vitamins and minerals are higher.
Other ingredients of AREDS2 include ascorbic acid, gelatin, glycerin, tocopheryl acetate, soybean oil, soy lecithin, zinc oxide, marigold flower extract, yellow beeswax, silicon dioxide, cupric oxide, titanium dioxide, and red and blue food coloring agents. It does not contain beta-carotene, so it is safe for smokers and former smokers.
Both MacuHealth vs AREDS2 are effective in reducing the risk of vision loss and slowing down the progress of AMD. Both supplements can help you maintain your vision for a longer time.
However, the formula of MacuHealth is not as rich as AREDS2. As you can see from the ingredient list, MacuHealth has lower vitamin E and zinc while having no vitamin C or copper. AREDS2 comes with those vitamins and minerals. So, MacuHealth may be less potent than AREDS2, especially for people with advanced AMD.
Potential Side Effects
Still, MacuHealth has an advantage, which is the fewer potential side effects. First of all, it doesn’t contain a high level of zinc, so it is a good choice for people who need to avoid excessive zinc intake. Excessive zinc intake may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, diarrhea, headaches, and reduced copper absorption.
Second, it doesn’t use soy, so it is safe for people with soy allergy. Still, you need to make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.
On the other hand, AREDS2 has a very high amount of zinc. You need to control your zinc intake carefully and consult with your doctor to avoid excessive zinc intake. It contains soy, so it may be unsuitable for people with soy allergy.
MacuHealth vs AREDS2
|Key Features||- MacuHealth with LMZ3 is a patented natural eye health supplement consisting of the three primary protective pigments found in the macula||- PreserVision is the #1 recommended brand by eye doctors for people with moderate-to-advanced age-related macular degeneration. Brought to you by Bausch + Lomb — the leader in AREDS eye vitamins|
|Best Offer*||Save Money Please click here||Save Money Please click here|
Both supplements can help you treat AMD. They both can slow down the progress and preserve your vision for a longer time. However, AREDS2 is generally more recommended because of the more potent formula. It contains lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and copper – all the important ingredients for treating AMD. Just make sure that you control your zinc intake, and that you are not allergic to soy.