Age-related macular degeneration, AMD, L-methionine

His updated contact info is PO Box 4234, Malibu, California 90264; email alfredzamm@aol.com

L-Methionine to Cure Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Alfred V. Zamm, MD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ophthalmic condition of unknown cause and

unknown cure that involves damage to the macula of the retina; it typically occurs in the elderly

and results in blurred or no vision of the central visual field. The following is an autobiographic single clinical-case observation, an anecdote. It is presented in the hope that (1) these findings will not be lost and (2) other clinicians will either verify or disprove whether L-methionine is useful in treating AMD. It is fortuitous that this essential amino acid, L-methionine, is innocuous, well tolerated, inexpensive, and available without a prescription. The administration of this amino acid had a subjective, salubrious effect on the symptoms of age-related macular degeneration.

After I underwent a routine ophthalmological examination followed by specialized

testing, the examiner told me that I had AMD. In addition to failing the objective machine and

computer tests, I also flunked a subjective test, the Amsler Grid Test. The Amsler Grid Test uses

a grid composed of horizontal and vertical thin black lines intersecting at right angles and

printed on a white background; the intersecting pattern forms a field of uniformly identical squares—in the center of the field there is a black dot. The examinee looks at the central black

dot and the lines, which are straight, appear wavy to a viewer who has AMD. I saw wavy lines! My dialogue with the doctor then proceeded as follows:

AZ: Why do I have AMD?

Doctor: No one knows.

AZ: What do I do about it?

Doctor: You take a mixture of nutritional supplements every day. The mixture is based on a

study by The National Eye Institute of The National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Age

Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2). The mixture contains zinc, vitamin C, copper,

vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin.^1,2

AZ: If I take the AREDS 2 mixture, will it cure me?

Doctor: No.¹

AZ: Will it at least reverse some of the damage?

Doctor: No.¹

AZ: Then why should I take it?

Doctor: There is some evidence that it slows down the progression of the degenerative

process.^2,3 Some clinicians suspect that it may mitigate the development of AMD.

My “takeaway” from this encounter was the following:

1. I have a condition of unknown cause and unknown cure that leads to some degree of decreased sight or maybe blindness.

2. I plan to find out everything I can about AMD.

3. I don’t expect anyone to be able to help me.

4. If there is a solution to AMD, it’s not going to be in an obvious or “logical” place because someone would have found it by now. The answer is going to be hiding in an unexpected place, an “illogical” place.

5. I would have to try one substance after another in a monotonous “trial-and-error” process and have a lot of patience and endurance.

6. Another problem: Even if I found something that worked, how would I know that it was working? (I solved that problem by planning to use the Amsler Grid chart; if the apparent wavy lines started to appear straight, then I would know I was working in the right direction.)

Serendipitously, I chose to start my quest by trying L-methionine. Previously, I

found that L-methionine was helpful in treating hepatitis C (not curing), and it appeared to be a

preventative and perhaps a cure for Clostridium difficile infection.⁴ As a result of this familiarity

with L-methionine, I suspected that there was a lot more to L-methionine than was apparent to

me or was in the literature; at this point, it seemed as good a starting choice as any.

The Experiment

I started by taking one-fourth of a 500 mg capsule of L-methionine on the first day. The next day I took one-fourth capsule b.i.d.; every day I increased the dose until I was taking one 500 mg. capsule b.i.d. For the next two weeks, I stayed at the 500 mg b.i.d. dose; and by

the end of this two-week period, the wavy lines that I previously saw in the Amsler chart now

appeared straight. My vision had improved in general, and I felt an improved sense of well

being. Now, at the three-month marker, all of the benefits that I initially experienced are still

present. I will be returning for a follow-up ophthalmological examination at the six-month

marker and hopefully there will be some objective measurement of improvement concordant

with this subjective benefit that I am now experiencing.

After L-methionine was found to be helpful with my AMD, I went into a “reverse

engineering research mode” and found a reference that in monozygotic twins who both had

AMD, the twin with the higher dietary (not supplemental) L-methionine intake had a lower

stage of AMD.⁵

The author verifies that he has no conflicts of interest.

References

1. Evans J, Lawrenson J. Antioxidant and mineral supplements for preventing age-related

macular degeneration. Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. 2012. PMID

22696317.

2. Hobbs R, Bernstein P. Nutrient supplementation for age-related macular degeneration,

cataract, and dry eye. Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research. 2013;9(4): 487-93.

3. Evans J, Lawrenson J. Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for slowing the

progression of age-related macular degeneration. The Cochrane Database of Systemic

Reviews. 2012. PMID 23152201.

4. Zamm A, Bhitiyakul S. L-methionine, Clostridium difficile, Hepatitis C, Chronic Superficial

Thrombophlebitis: What’s the Connection? Townsend Letter. June 2013; 61-62.

5. Seddon J, et al. Smoking, dietary betaine, methionine, and vitamin D in monozygotic

twins with discordant macular degeneration: epigenetic implications. Ophthalmology.

2011 July;118(7):1386-94.