Anti-aging compounds may get to the root cause of dry eye

Dry, red, irritated eyes that sting and burn, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and even desperate…

That describes chronic dry eye — a condition that affects up to 15% of Americans.

Dry eye can raise your risk of eye infections, cause minor scratches or surface damage, and, over time, lead to impaired vision.

You can reduce your risk of complications with eye drops specifically developed for the condition.

Daytime drops can be administered whenever your eyeballs start to feel uncomfortable, and nighttime drops, which are thicker and goopier, can give your eyes a much-needed moisture bath overnight.

But is there anything else you can do to reduce your symptoms? Try getting to the root of the problem…

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Sweeping out the trash that blocks protective tears

You can think of autophagy as a janitor for your cells — removing the trash and clutter so everything can function optimally.

Unfortunately, autophagy function declines with age. The resulting accumulation of damaged cellular components contributes to aging and age-related conditions.

Failures in how autophagy works in other parts of the body have also been linked to problems in brain health and heart problems.

Now, researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK have seen how chronic dry eye, common in people over 50, becomes a problem when autophagy stops working in the tear gland.

The researchers shut down autophagy in miniature human tear glands grown from stem cells. It wasn’t long before the normal clean-up process broke down, allowing damaged, toxic particles to accumulate. The result? The output of protective tears declined dramatically, and dry eye kicked into high gear.

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Enhancing autophagy for dry eye relief

Thankfully, they didn’t stop there.

Armed with the knowledge that autophagy failure plays a decisive role in dry eye disease, they dug into how to get it going again — instead of just treating the symptoms.

After testing several compounds, two rose to the challenge: both melatonin and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a metabolite of vitamin B3, improved cell survival and helped restore tear protein production.

That these two compounds help is not surprising, given that autophagy is considered an anti-aging mechanism, and both have demonstrated anti-aging potential.

They’re not a cure, but they certainly open the door to treatment options and maybe even prevention for dry eye.

Additional ways to support your body’s natural process of autophagy include:

  • Revving up mitochondriaSupporting healthy, youthful mitochondria (the powerhouses of your cells) promotes autophagy and overall cell health by boosting the energy (ATP) needed for the autophagy process.
  • Spermidine to call in the cleaning crew – Found in plant-based and fermented foods, spermidine is a compound that boosts the cellular “clean-up” process, which removes damaged components and recycles cellular materials.
  • Staying active – Exercise helps trick your cells into detoxing more frequently, regardless of your age.
  • Alternate-day fasting Fasting breaks help trigger autophagy to clear toxins from cells.

If eye drops are necessary to soothe your dry eye symptoms, don’t give them up just yet. However, you might try some of these options and find that you’re less dependent on them.

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Sources:

A hidden cellular breakdown may be driving dry eye disease – ScienceDaily

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

By Dr. Adria Schmedthorst

Dr. Adria Schmedthorst is a board-certified Doctor of Chiropractic, with more than 20 years of experience. She has dedicated herself to helping others enjoy life at every age through the use of alternative medicine and natural wellness options. Dr. Schmedthorst enjoys sharing her knowledge with the alternative healthcare community, providing solutions for men and women who are ready to take control of their health the natural way.

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