OS 2
Better watch out: eye friendly substances your supplements shouldn’t miss
October 9, 2015
Want to know the best way to seeing more clearly? Keep an eye on the label!
When finding the best eye health supplement, it’s easy to get lost in the overwhelming array of products offered in stores and on websites. For good measure, only buy the ones that were made with the highest standards and by trusted names.
You should also look for these nutrients that hit the bull’s eye in ensuring better vision:
Vitamin A. In its pure form, this fat-soluble vitamin produces pigments needed by the retina, the thin layer responsible for catching light signals that the brain transforms into images. Available in a variety of forms, only true (pre-formed) vitamin A, in right amounts, enhances your ability to see clearly even in low light. Beta-carotene or pro-vitamin A may not deliver the same eye benefits.
Lutein and zeaxanthin. Recently published studies point to the power of these antioxidants, which are found in supplements and food like kale, spinach, and peas, to maintain a healthy macula, the part responsible for maintaining sharpness needed for tasks that require good visual acuity, like driving and sewing. These antioxidants also filter eye-damaging blue light and combat free radicals that destroy eye cells and get in the way of lucid vision.
Zinc. A trace mineral with a number of health benefits, zinc is also said to be present in sizeable amounts around the macula. When combined with vitamin A, this mineral forms melanin, a pigment which, among other crucial functions, blankets the eyes and shields them from damaging light and irritation.
Aside from those mentioned above, the RAND Eye Institute also recommends these nutrients, which can serve as great allies in maintaining good vision:
• Selenium
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Alpha lipoic acid
Could your eye vitamin cause kidney stones?
August 24, 2016
Important news for users of eye vitamins containing high doses of zinc: a study has linked high levels of zinc with kidney stones. Published in the prestigious scientific journal PLOS ONE, the study revealed that high levels of zinc in the body may contribute to kidney stone formation.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract, affecting nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population. Each year in the U.S., people suffering with kidney stones make over a million visits to health care providers, including over 300,000 visits to emergency rooms due to the pain. While kidney stones are more common in adults, they also are becoming increasingly common in infants, children, and teenagers from all races and ethnicities.
Kidney stones are hard, often jagged masses of crystalized minerals that form in the kidney. Some kidney stones are very small and pass through the body without even being noticed. Larger stones may get stuck in the urinary tract, however, causing severe pain and blood in the urine.
"Nearly 90 percent of kidney stones are calcium-based, but we really don't know what causes those stones to form," says Dr. Killilea, a staff scientist at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), and co-author of the study. "In the past, urologists recommended limiting the amount of calcium in the diet to help prevent the formation of kidney stones, but that did not turn out to be very useful. So we wanted to learn what other factors might contribute to the formation of kidney stones."
Working with fruit flies, researchers were able to make a correlation between high levels of zinc and kidney stone formation. Dr. Killilea stresses that the results of the study are still new, so it is too early to know about the impact of zinc levels on human kidney stone formation.
"This study's results do not mean that zinc is bad for you–in fact, quite the opposite," he says. "Zinc is an essential element in the human diet. It is well known that people with a zinc deficiency have immune systems that don't function as well, and that might make kidney stone disease worse. It is only very high levels of zinc that might be a problem.
With the fruit flies, large doses of zinc caused them to produce stones faster and to produce bigger stones. People should not avoid zinc, but we need to determine what the optimal levels of zinc might be, especially in people at risk for stone disease. That information might eventually give us tools to treat or even prevent kidney stone formation."
The above post is reprinted from materials https://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/main/news/355.aspx provided by UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. Materials may be edited for content and length.
Photo credit: Surface of a kidney stone. Kempf EK https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surface_of_a_kidney_stone_Re-colorized_SEM_Image.jpg
Ophthalmologist weighs in on OS2®
September 29, 2016
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Dr. Timothy Schneider, MD
The science of nutritional supplementation is advancing rapidly. What was state of the art
just five years ago is now old science, and is eclipsed by the clinical support of hundreds
of studies that have published their results over the last few years. The outcome is a very
exciting time for your health, if you choose the right formula and the right quality
standards in a nutritional supplement.
As the pharmaceutical industry searches for new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease,
cancer and macular degeneration, ample research is demonstrating the positive benefits of
nutritional supplements such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, as an adjunct to
support and maintain the body’s major health systems.
As an ophthalmologist and clinical researcher, Nugevity’s Ocular Support Solution
(OS2®) https://www.premiumvitaminsandsupplements.com/os2 piqued my interest. At
first glance, it appeared to be the right choice for the support of eye health and the
embodiment of current clinical evidence. Looking more closely and after some important
due diligence, I realize that the formula was developed by a company dedicated for
over a decade to setting new standards in quality for nutritional supplementation.
OS2® is simply the most innovative science-based eye formula on the market today.
At the heart of this formula are the carotenoids; lutein, zeaxanthin, and astaxanthin, as
well as omega-3 fatty acids. Carotenoids are potent antioxidants that protect our cells
from damaging fee radicals. This is particularly important with the eye’s exposure to
sunlight and other sources of oxidative stress.
A unique feature of OS2® is the inclusion of Alpha Lipoic Acid. This strong antioxidant
is unique in that it can work both in water and fat, while Vitamins E and C work only in
fat or water respectively. Alpha Lipoic Acid’s versatile and strong antioxidant properties
also have the potential of benefiting the Carotenoids synergistically as it has been shown
to help regenerate other antioxidants that have been used up. Much of the research on
Alpha Lipoic Acid has centered on its potential ability to help preserve normal vision and
the normal structure of the retina in healthy patients, as well as those afflicted with
diabetes. The result is a perfect compliment of major antioxidant properties in the OS2®
formula.
The etiology age-related concerns such as decline in vision, dry eyes, and other structural
or functional circumstances affecting the eyes appear to be multifactorial. But
inflammation likely plays a major role. Essential fatty acids are natural modulators of
inflammatory activity via their interaction with eicosanoids. Typical dietary fats such as
those found in cooking oil or meat contain omega-6 acids. These fats are considered pro-
inflammatory. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in fish oil, help
regulate and decrease inflammation.
Quality of omega-3 supplementation is the key factor in its absorption and effectiveness.
OS2® contains one of the richest forms of the valuable oil which has been molecularly
distilled to ensure the highest purity and potency.
Since the release of the landmark Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) in 2001,
nutritional supplementation has been a part of the accepted science in the support of eye
health. And for the last 15 years, the science has progressed to what I would now
consider the new standard of care: OS2®. Nutritional supplements pose little risk, yet the
possible benefits of a product such as this in terms of maintaining independence,
preserving vision, health care and personal cost savings, and easing the burden on family
caregivers are positive beyond measure.
For my family and my patients, OS2 is truly the only “Ocular Support Solution.”
Dr. Timothy Schneider http://schneidereye.com/is a Mayo Clinic- and Johns Hopkins-trained
ophthalmologist. As a clinical researcher, Dr. Schneider has authored or co-authored over a dozen
publications.
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
