Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin C (calcium ascorbate)
For the body system: Eyes

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Vitamin C (calcium ascorbate) is an antioxidant that has been studied for its role in supporting eye health, particularly in relation to age-related eye conditions. The most notable scientific evidence comes from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) conducted by the National Eye Institute. This large, randomized clinical trial found that a daily supplement containing vitamin C (500 mg), along with vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper, could slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in people at high risk for the disease. However, vitamin C was part of a multinutrient formula, making it difficult to isolate its individual contribution. There is some mechanistic rationale—vitamin C helps regenerate other antioxidants in the eye and may help protect ocular tissues from oxidative stress, which is implicated in cataract formation and AMD. Despite this, evidence that vitamin C supplementation alone prevents or treats eye diseases is limited and inconsistent. Most studies suggest that while adequate dietary vitamin C is important for overall eye health, supplementation in healthy individuals without deficiency does not provide significant benefit. Therefore, the use of vitamin C (calcium ascorbate) for eye support is partially justified by scientific evidence, but the strength of the evidence is moderate at best, earning a rating of 2 out of 5.

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