Studies have found that drinking coffee may prevent retinal degeneration

According to Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao on May 8, researchers in the United States and South Korea have found that drinking coffee is good for the eyes and that chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant in coffee, can prevent retinal degeneration in laboratory rats.

The Cornell University team that conducted the study pointed out that unrefined coffee has only 1 per cent caffeine on average, but contains 7 to 9 per cent antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid (chlorogenic acid), which can prevent retinal degeneration (retinal degeneration) in laboratory rats.

Researchers fed laboratory mice nitrogen oxide (nitric oxide) to expose them to oxidative stress (oxidative stress) and free radicals (free radical), according to a report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. A group of laboratory mice that had been exposed to chlorogenic acid did not develop retinal degeneration.

The retina (retina) is a transparent membrane in the wall of the eyeball, which is composed of the pigment epithelium and the retinal sensory layer, and has millions of photosensory cells and nerve cells. The retina can receive and process the vision seen by the eye.

The retina is a tissue with frequent metabolism and is in great need of oxygen. once its cells are anoxic, it will appear oxidative stress, which is easy to produce free radicals, resulting in tissue damage and loss of vision. Factors leading to retinal degeneration include glaucoma (glaucoma), aging and diabetes.

However, the study notes that they have not yet determined whether the body transmits chlorogenic acid directly to the retina.

Li Chang (transliteration, Chang Lee), a professor in the department of food science at Cornell University and the lead author of the study, pointed out that the important thing about the study is that it analyzes natural foods that are good for health. "Coffee is a common drink all over the world, and we are understanding what benefits it can do to us."

Previous studies have shown that coffee has a mitigating effect on cognitive degradation caused by Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, type B diabetes and aging.