I'm wondering if anyone on these boards has been recommended to consider taking these. They are thought to, possibly proven to, strengthen capillaries, so if that's the case, mightn't they not tend to prevent bleeds?
I've taken rutin for years and years, but at the time my CNV/AMD started I was using a particularly cheap product. I just looked the subject up and found that there's a more potent derivative of rutin called troxerutin.
Has anyone been advised to take bioflavonoids? If it's possible they do prevent bleeds, should it not be the case that we can be given NHS prescriptions for them in the UK, at least for the more potent and expensive one's.
Written by
ironbrain
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I am prone to thread veins and fragile capillaries, so took rutin for a while
Then I read more scientific papers, can't remember which now, it was a long time ago, and decided not to bother
I don't know anything about the book you linked to or the author, but the lack of proper scientific references always worries me, there is a selected Bibliography listed in the index, but that is not available in the sample
The author does seem to be a reputable semi-retired ophthalmologist
I'd never heard of rutin or other bioflavonoids for retinal health, so I was interested, a search of Google Scholar for papers revealed a lot of rat studies mainly in diabetic retinopathy which look promising. I couldn't find a clinical study of bioflavonoid supplementation in macular disease.
I did find a paper that pointed out it is quite easy to get a good supply of bioflavonoids from a diet rich in plants.
So unless someone can find better evidence, which is very possible, I won't personally b spending money on the supplements, just continuing to "eat the rainbow"
It's probably a few decades ago that I first read about them, mainly for a claimed ability to increase vitamin C absorption.
Knowledge of their ability to strengthen capillaries, I later read, came from experiments looking at the effect of vitamin C intake on skin bleeding in guinea pigs (their skins being scraped until it bled).
I tried unsuccessfully to get my mother to take one of the more potent bioflavonoids, pycnogenol, for a leg ulcer resulting from venous insufficiency. At that time, about ten years back, I think it was thought as potent as any mediation available.
Since we bruise more easily as we get older and given the proven ability to strengthen capillaries and hence hopefully provide some protection against the likes of ulcers, I've taken rutin regularly.
My thoughts regarding CNV have been that maybe stronger capillaries push through the Bruch's membrane more easily. I've not been sure whether bioflavonoidds would help or make things worse or be of insignificant effect altogether.
Possibly one can pull out any number of papers on medical studies – it's the results got in clinical/medical practice that count.
Interesting that you say “a few decades ago”. From my literature searching the interest in bioflavonoids, especially rutin and any focus on eye health seems to stem from a cluster of rat studies done circa 1947 - 1952. So I’d like to see something more recent
"Nevertheless, unlike diabetic retino-pathy, no studies have been conducted in humans to determine whether dietary anthocyanin intake can minimize neovascularization or leakage of the retina microvasculature in AMD." 2012
Homoisoflavonoids as potential antiangiogenic agents for retinal neovascularization. (2017) [I think this is more about an alternative to the anti-VEGF drugs currently used.]
Just a sample of what I've found. Nothing terribly conclusive. Then there's the fact that oral administration will provide the eye with very minmal amounts of the substances. I don't know if this is relevant:
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Eye supplements for macular degeneration.
Allergic reaction no.3. Advice please.
Angioid streaks
Does Eylea worsen cataracts?
Is there anyone like me?????
