B Vitamins May Reduce Glaucoma Risk: Study

Experts advise proceeding with care due to lack of definitive proof of benefits and potential risks involved.

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As people continue to live longer, the prevalence of age-related conditions such as vision-threatening glaucoma rapidly increases.

However, an emerging body of research offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that a simple addition to our diets—certain B vitamins—could significantly reduce the risk of developing the debilitating eye disease that robs millions of their sight.

Benefits Differ by Sex

The most recent study, published in Nature, analyzed data from more than 5,000 Americans aged 40 and above in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a large U.S. population-based study. It investigated whether daily intake of B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, and folic acid) could reduce glaucoma risk.

A key finding was that benefits differed by sex. While B1 and B2 intake reduced men’s risk, with B2 linked to a 28 percent lower risk per 1-milligram increase, women didn’t experience the same benefit from higher intake.

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“In our study, the association between the intake of vitamins B1, B2 and self-reported glaucoma appeared to be stronger in males,” the authors wrote. “In females, vitamin B2 intake was nonlinearly associated with [International Society Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology]-diagnosed glaucoma, and glaucoma risk decreased with higher intake.”

The study used reliable NHANES data with a large sample size, and the findings aligned with other studies linking B vitamins to lower glaucoma risk, Dr. Alina Djougarian, an ophthalmologist at Northwell Health in New York who wasn’t associated with the study, told The Epoch Times.

However, “large, prospective studies with a long period of follow-up would be needed to determine the effect on glaucoma progression and the long-term impact on the optic nerve from B vitamin supplementation,” she noted.

The Potential to Unlock Cellular Energy

Research shows that in glaucoma, the mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells) are damaged, preventing them from producing the energy cells need. Additionally, glaucoma patients have lower levels of niacin (vitamin B3), which is essential for proper mitochondrial function.

In a 2022 phase 2 trial, researchers gave 21 glaucoma patients with moderate vision loss high doses of niacin and pyruvate, calculated as safe equivalents to effective doses in mice studies. After more than two months of treatment, the patients experienced significant improvements in visual function.

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“We do not yet know all the possible pharmacologic interventions [for glaucoma],” Simon John, a glaucoma researcher at Columbia University in New York, wrote in an article about nutrient supplements and glaucoma. “We could discover molecules that are even more potent than vitamin B3 or pyruvate.”

Glaucoma Vitamin Therapy in ‘Gray Zone’: Expert

Dr. Djougarian cautioned that the vitamin B dosages used in the studies exceed recommended daily amounts, carrying potential toxicity risks. “It is important to consult a physician before taking supplements,” she said.

The use of vitamins for eye diseases falls into a “gray zone,” Dr. Robert A. Honkanen, an ophthalmologist and glaucoma specialist at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, told The Epoch Times.

While specific vitamins are recommended to prevent the progression of macular degeneration, he said there was no validated, long-term research showing benefits for glaucoma. “There may be some beneficial effects to vitamins because some of them have antioxidant properties and some have potential neuroprotective properties,” he added. “But whether they actually prove or have proven that to be beneficial, I don’t think that’s been done.”

Thus, Dr. Honkanen said that when it comes to using vitamins for glaucoma, people should use common sense and talk to a doctor to avoid overdose risks, as some vitamins, such as vitamin E, can affect blood clotting.

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A healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, regular exercise, and a balanced diet, has already been shown to lower the risk of developing glaucoma.

Jury Still Out on Vitamins for Glaucoma

The research on vitamins for glaucoma stems from the need for new, better therapies beyond just lowering eye pressure, as some patients progress despite normal pressure levels, Dr. Honkanen said.

The search for vitamin benefits is driven by their proven efficacy in conditions such as macular degeneration. Ultimately, this topic highlights the need for improved glaucoma prevention and treatment, Dr. Honkanen noted.

“That’s why I think this whole vitamin question comes up, but we get asked this many times by patients, and that’s what I tell them,” he said. “I just tell them that the jury is still out.”