Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Nov 28;16(23):4124.
doi: 10.3390/nu16234124.

Nutritional Genomics: Implications for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Inês Figueiredo  1 , Cláudia Farinha  1   2   3   4 , Patrícia Barreto  2   4 , Rita Coimbra  2 , Pedro Pereira  1   3 , João Pedro Marques  1   2   3   4 , Isabel Pires  1   2   3   4 , Maria Luz Cachulo  1   2   3   4 , Rufino Silva  1   2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Nutritional Genomics: Implications for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Inês Figueiredo et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older individuals, driven by a multifactorial etiology involving genetic, environmental, and dietary factors. Nutritional genomics, which studies gene-nutrient interactions, has emerged as a promising field for AMD prevention and management. Genetic predispositions, such as variants in CFH, C3, C2/CFB, APOE, and oxidative stress pathways, significantly affect the risk and progression of AMD. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes findings from randomized controlled trials and recent advances in nutritional genomics research. It examines the interplay between genetic predispositions and dietary interventions, exploring how personalized nutritional strategies can optimize AMD management. Results and Discussion: The AREDS and AREDS2 trials demonstrated that supplements, including vitamins C, E, zinc, copper, lutein, and zeaxanthin, can reduce the progression to advanced AMD. Nutritional interventions tailored to genetic profiles show promise: CFH risk alleles may enhance zinc supplementation's anti-inflammatory effects, while APOE variants influence the response to omega-3 fatty acids. Adjusting carotenoid intake, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, based on genetic susceptibility exemplifies emerging precision nutritional approaches. Ongoing research seeks to integrate nutrigenomic testing into clinical settings, enabling clinicians to tailor interventions to individual genetic profiles. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of personalized interventions, investigate additional genetic variants, and develop tools for clinical implementation of nutrigenomics. Advancing these strategies holds the potential to improve patient outcomes, optimize AMD management, and pave the way for precision nutrition in ophthalmology.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration; dietary habits; micronutrients; personalized medicine.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of screening studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Barreto P., Farinha C., Coimbra R., Cachulo M.L., Melo J.B., Lechanteur Y., Hoyng C.B., Cunha-Vaz J., Silva R. Interaction between Genetics and the Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: The Risk for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Coimbra Eye Study Report 8. Eye Vis. 2023;10:38. doi: 10.1186/s40662-023-00355-0. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rinninella E., Mele M.C., Merendino N., Cintoni M., Anselmi G., Caporossi A., Gasbarrini A., Minnella A.M. The Role of Diet, Micronutrients and the Gut Microbiota in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: New Perspectives from the Gut−Retina Axis. Nutrients. 2018;10:1677. doi: 10.3390/nu10111677. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wong W.L., Su X., Li X., Cheung C.M.G., Klein R., Cheng C.-Y., Wong T.Y. Global Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Disease Burden Projection for 2020 and 2040: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Lancet Glob. Health. 2014;2:e106–e116. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(13)70145-1. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gheorghe A., Mahdi L., Musat O. Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Rom. J. Ophthalmol. 2015;59:74–77. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ambati J., Fowler B.J. Mechanisms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Neuron. 2012;75:26–39. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2012.06.018. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources