We found no evidence to support antioxidant supplements for primary or secondary prevention. Beta-carotene and vitamin E seem to increase mortality, and so may higher doses of vitamin A. Antioxidant supplements need to be considered as medicinal products and should undergo sufficient evaluation before marketing.
Multicenter ophthalmic and nutritional age-related macular degeneration study--part 2: antioxidant intervention and conclusions.
The experimental design, subjects, procedures and baseline data for the prospective double blind dry ARMD-antioxidant intervention study have been described in Part 1.
                At eight DVA medical centers, 32 patients (group one) were assigned a placebo and 39 patients (group two) a "broad spectrum" antioxidant capsule. Data was collected in five areas: demographic; ophthalmic; dietary analysis of daily food intake; serum analysis; and adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. Data was serially acquired at baseline, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months, and was analyzed by univariate repeated factors ANOVA, p = 0.05.
                Group two (antioxidant po BID) maintained their distance LogMAR visual acuity (p = 0.03), while there was a trend toward both stabilized near M print (p = 0.07) and 6 cycle/degree contrast sensitivity (p approximately 0.10), in left eyes. However, group two (antioxidant) also had increased cortical opacification of the right lens (p = 0.04), compared to group one (placebo). Self perceived stabilization of vision was reported by subjects in group two and supported the objective data (Pearson chi square; p = 0.05).
                A specific 14 component antioxidant capsule taken twice daily stabilized but did not improve dry ARMD over the study period of 1.5 years. The ARMD stabilized eyes had less advanced disease functionally but not by fundus appearance. Decreased intake of cardioprotective nutrients (vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, B6 and folate) in ARMD patients remained constant over the course of the trial.