Nature’s Life Bilberry i sight™

• Helps protect against free-radical damage to the eye, especially the lens*

• Nourishes the lens of eye*

• Improves night vision*

• Enhances recovery from glare*

• Helps protect the eye and especially the lens, from UV light damage*

Eye Health and Free-Radicals

One key to maintaining healthy eyes is proper nutritional support. Several factors such as smoking, diabetes, injury, steroids, excess exposure to pollution, sunlight or radiation can all damage parts of the eye and result in poor eyesight. Most of these factors create free radicals that can damage the delicate lens of the eye.  Essential vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants from foods and supplements can help protect all parts of the eye from these damaging free radicals.*

Nature’s Life Bilberry i sight™ Antioxidant Formula can help protect the eye against such damage.*  Standardized Bilberry extracts have been widely used in Europe to help maintain healthy eyes.* Bilberries contain unique blue/violet bioflavonoids (called anthocyanosides) which are potent antioxidants that help protect against free-radical damage.*1  In one human study, standardized bilberry extract plus vitamin E maintained the clarity of the lens of the eye in a remarkable 97% of 50 people.*2 Bioflavonoids such as bilberry’s anthocyanadins reduce the activity of an enzyme called aldose reductase, which helps inhibit unhealthy levels of naturally occurring sugars from accumulating and damaging the eye.*3

Modern research into the benefits of standardized bilberry extracts was stimulated by British World War II pilots, who noticed that their night vision improved when they ate bilberry jam prior to night bombing raids. Studies since then have shown that, in 116 people, 300 mg of standardized bilberry extract helped to maintain both night vision and the ability to see after exposure to glare.*4 These effects were reported in healthy people, suggesting that constituents of standardized bilberry extract play a key role in promoting good vision,* though the mechanism is not yet understood.

Vitamin C is selectively stored in the eye, and Vitamin C levels in the eye can be 60 times the amount found in the blood.5 Most, 6,7,8  though not all,9 research has shown that people with healthy transparent lenses were more likely to be taking vitamin C supplements than were people with clouded lenses.* People using vitamin C supplements for longer periods of time appear to receive the most protection.10  Low blood levels of vitamin E have been linked with clouding of the lens.*11 While those taking vitamin E supplements do not always benefit from better maintenance of lens transparency,9,12 intakes of at least 400 IU/day have been shown to exhibit positive results.6,13

Nature’s Life Bilberry i sight also contains natural source D. salina microalgae, with beta carotene, alpha carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin.  These carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that work to protect the eyes against oxidative damage.* Foods high in natural beta carotene have been linked to maintenance of transparent lenses in the Nurse’s Health Study,*7 while synthetic beta carotene supplements were found not to be effective.12

Niacin and riboflavin are two important B vitamins for eye health.*  Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2) is required to activate the antioxidant enzyme glutathione reductase, which reactivates glutathione, a major antioxidant found in the lens of the eye.*14 In China, 5,390 people with healthy lenses were given 3 mg of riboflavin and 40 mg of niacin per day, or a placebo, and followed for years. At the end of the study, those taking the B vitamins were more likely to have maintained normal lens clarity.*15

Ingredient Highlights

Nature’s Life Bilberry Extract (Vaccinium myrtillus) is standardized to provide 25% anthocyanosides, the “active” bioflavonoids in bilberry. Studies using a 25% anthocyanoside standardized extract indicate that from 160 mg to 800 mg is an effective daily amount to maintain clear, unclouded lenses.*

Nature’s Life uses a non-acidic form of vitamin C (calcium ascorbate) that is easy on the digestive system. Vitamin C also helps the body use vitamin E more efficiently.* The Vitamin E is all natural, d-alpha tocopheryl succinate. This form of vitamin E is oil free, water dispersible, easily absorbed and well tolerated.

The all-natural, marine source carotenes are derived from the unique microalgae Dunaliella salina.  Unlike synthetic all trans-beta-carotene, natural beta-carotene is a mixture of cis and trans forms. Nature's Life uses D. salina from Henkelâ containing cis- and trans-beta-carotene in a concentrated 50%/50% mixture. 

References

1. Salvayre R, Braquet P, et al. Comparison of the scavenger effect of bilberry anthocyanosides with various flavonoids. Proceed Intl Bioflavonoids Symposium, Munich, 1981, 437-42.

2. Bravetti G. Preventive medical treatment of senile cataract with vitamin E and anthocyanosides: clinical evaluation. Ann Ottamol Clin Ocul 1989;115:109.

3. Linuma M, Tanaka T, Mizuno M, et al. Structure-activity correlation of flavonoids for inhibition of bovine lens aldose reductase. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1989 Jul;37(7):1813-5. 

4. Terrasse J, Moinade S. Premiers resultats obtenus avec un nouveau facteur vitaminique P “les anthocyanosides” extraits du Vaccinium myrtillus. Presse Med 1964;72:397-400. 

5. Taylor A. Cataract: Relationships between nutrition and oxidation. J AM Coll Nutr 1993;12:138-46 [review].

6. Robertson JMD, Donner AP, Trevithick JR. Vitamin E intake and risk of cataracts in humans. Ann NY Acad Sci 1989;570:372-82. 

7. Hankinson SE, Stampfer MJ, Seddon JM, et al. Nutrient intake and cataract extraction in women: a prospective study. BMJ 1992;305:335-39.

8. Robertson J McD, Donner AP, Trevithik JR. A possible role for vitamins C and E in cataract prevention.  Am J Clin Nutr 1991;53:346S-51S.

9. Seddon JM, Christen WG, Manson JE, et al. The use of vitamin supplements and the risk of cataract among US male physicians. Am J Public Health 1994;84:788-92.

10. Jacques PF, Taylor A, Hankinson SE, et al. Long-term vitamin C supplement use and prevalence of early age-related lens opacities. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;66:911-16.

11. Rouhiainen P, Rouhiainen H, Salonen JT. Association between low plasma vitamin E concentration and progression of early cortical lens opacities. Am J Epidemiol 1996;144:496-500.

12. Teikari JM, Virtamo J, Rautalahti M, et al. Long-term supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene and age-related cataract. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 1997;75:634-40.

13. Leske MC, Chylack LT Jr, He Q, et al. Antioxidant vitamins and nuclear opacities. The Longitudinal Study of Cararact. Ophthalmology 1998;105:831-36.

14. Horwitz J, Dovrat A, Straatsma BR, et. al. Glutathione reductase in human lens epithelium: FAD-induced in vitro activation.  Curr Eye Res 1987;6:1249-56.

15. Sperduto RD, Hu TS, Milton RC, et al. The Linxian cataract studies. Two nutrition intervention trials. Arch Ophthalmol 1993;111:1246-53.