Vitamin A
We generally suggest that if you supplement with vitamin A, you take it as betacarotene or as a combination of Vitamin A Palmitate and betacarotene (readily convertible to Vitamin A as needed).
- Foods: Orange and yellow vegetables, including carrots, and sweet potatoes, spinach, asparagus, butternut squash, bok choy, kale, cantaloupe, mangos and apricots.
- Daily Need: About 15,000-25,000IU/daily.
- Related Conditions: Macular Degeneration , Glaucoma, Cataracts, Dry Eyes, Night Blindness
- Note: If you have diabetes, low thyroid, fat absorption difficulties, beta-carotene may have difficulty converting to vitamin A.
Vitamin A News
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Vitamin A Palmitate Supports night vision, cornea & tear production
Vitamin B2
Easily absorbable, B2 is essential for many cellular processes and energy production in the body. It supports light reception in the retina, and is required for synthesis of glutathione. Deficiencies can cause tired or sore eyes, light sensitivity, and a number of eye diseases.
- Foods: Beans, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, wheat germ, almonds, mushrooms, milk, cheese, some organ meats.
- Daily Need: 10mg/daily.
- Related Conditions: Macular Degeneration , Glaucoma, Cataracts, Dry Eyes, Sties.
Vitamin B2 News
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Vitamin B2
Riboflavin, in B complex
Folic Acid
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- Foods: Green leafy vegetables, and broccoli, asparagus, sunflower seeds, the white part of orange peels. Processed foods are often fortified with folic acid.
- Daily Need: 400mcg/daily.
- Related Conditions: Cataracts, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol
- Note: for best absorption, take with vitamin B12 and Zinc.
Folate (vitamin B9) News
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Folic Acid Spray Take with vitamin B12 and Zinc.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is another water soluble vitamin that leaves the body rapidly. It helps enzymes, especially those that are part of metabolism, including synthesis of amino acids (helps transform homocysteine into cysteine, neurotransmitters and red blood cells). Most people with macular degeneration are deficient in B6, and there is a high risk of deficiency in people with rheumatoid arthritis and type I diabetes. Researchers have reported that the greater the deficiency in folic acid the greater the severity of diabetic eye disease.
- Foods: Whole grains, vegetables, nuts, bananas, avocados, brewer’s yeast, carrots, sunflower seeds. It is also found in meats but rapidly deteriorates when cooked, frozen or canned. It is more stable in plant sources.
- Daily Need: 50 mg daily.
- Related Conditions: Dry Eyes, macular degeneration, conjuntivitis, rheumatoid arthritis, attention deficit disorder, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol
Vitamin B6 News
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Vitamin B12
- Foods: Eggs, sardines, clams, mackerel, poultry milk products only, and fortified processed foods.
- Daily Need: 5mcg/daily; as much as 1,000mcg/daily (therapeutic dosage)
- Related Conditions: Glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy, optic neuritis, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol
- Note: Methylcobalamin is the natural occurring B12 in nature, and therefore easily absorbed and utilized by the body. In general, methylcobalamin is used primarily in your liver, brain and nervous system. This is the only form of Vitamin B12 one should supplement with. The Cyanocobalamin form of B12 (the most common form of B12 used in Vitamin formulas) is completely synthetic and unlikely to be found anywhere in nature. It also contains trace amounts of cyanide which, although not considered toxic in the amounts taken in, still is a toxin that has to be eliminated from the body.
Vitamin B12 News
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Comprehensive eye multivitamin
Vitamin B12 Folic Acid Spray
Methylcobalamin form
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbate, ascorbic acid) acts as an antioxidant and is an essential nutrient for enzyme processes and in the healing of injuries. It helps fight free radicals, supports healthy blood vessels and fine capillaries, and acts as a ultraviolet light filter within the eye. The second highest concentration of Vitamin C in the body is found in the eye, topping only the adrenal glands. High levels reduce cardiovascular disease and support healthy vision.
- Foods: (in this order) Rose hips, red pepper, chili pepper, black current, parsley, kiwi, broccoli, brussels sprouts, other berries, papayas, orange, kale, lemon, melons, cauliflower, other citrus, other fruits and vegetables.
- Daily Need: 500-3000mg/daily.
- Related Conditions: Macular Degeneration , Glaucoma, Cataracts, Dry Eyes, cardiovascular disease
Vitamin C News
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat soluble nutrient that supports the immune system. The D3 form is the most readily absorbed. It assists in absorbing calcium and phosphate. The body is able to synthesize it from sunshine, but especially in the wintertime, the amount of sunlight exposure is inadequate to produce enough Vitamin D. Low blood levels of Vitamin D are associated with mortality. Providing D3 (not D2) to older women appears to reduce early mortality risk.
Vitamin D supplementation has also been found to be helpful for obesity in teens and muscle function.
- Foods: cod liver oil, fish, oysters, fortified cereals, dairy products, eggs, mushrooms.
- Daily Need: 1000IU-2000IU/daily, or as high as 5,000IU to 10,000IU per to balance deficiencies, but only as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
- Related Conditions: Osteomalcia (rickets in children), falling, low bone mineral density, cancer, pregnancy, colds and flu
Vitamin D News
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Vitamin E
- Foods: (in order) Wheat germ, nuts and nut oils, seeds and seed oils, leafy dark green vegetables, avocado, asparagus, kiwi, broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato, mangos, tomatoes, papaya.
- Daily Need: 400IU/daily.
- Related Conditions: Macular Degeneration , Glaucoma, Cataracts,
- Note: Vitamin E has blood thinning qualities, so check with your health care provider if you take blood thinning medications; also check with your doctor for dosage needs if you are diabetics as it may effect insulin levels.
Vitamin E News
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Sublingual liquid formula for vision health.
Footnotes:
1. Weinstein, SJ et al. (2003). “Null Association Between Prostate Cancer and Serum Folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine” (PDF). Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention 12 (11): 1271-1272