Supplement Blend Shows Promise for Macular Degeneration

A small phase 2a trial from the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago found a resveratrol, quercetin, and curcumin combination reduced drusen volume in early and intermediate AMD.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Nutrition

Plain amber dropper bottle and soft-gel capsules on a pale laboratory bench beside a metal eye-examination instrument in soft window light. — Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago reported that a resveratrol, quercetin, and curcumin supplement blend slowed drusen growth in a small two-year trial of early macular degeneration patients. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago reported results from an open-label, randomized phase 2a trial testing oral RQC against curcumin alone in 38 people with early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration. The study was published in Translational Vision Science and Technology in 2026.

Why it matters

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults, and the trial tests whether a supplement targeting shared inflammatory and oxidative pathways could slow its progression. The preliminary findings are limited by the small sample, and larger randomized trials are needed before any clinical conclusions can be drawn.

In a 38-person phase 2a trial, central drusen volume decreased 13.4% in the RQC group and increased 6.9% in the curcumin-only group over two years, with advanced AMD progression in 3.7% of participants. The between-group visual acuity differences were not statistically significant, and the sample size remains too small to establish efficacy.

The players

University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago

A public medical school in Chicago affiliated with the University of Illinois system, conducting clinical research on age-related eye disease.

American Macular Degeneration Foundation

A nonprofit organization that provides education and research support on macular degeneration, and whose estimate of roughly 10 million affected Americans is cited in the study context.

The details

Participants were randomly assigned to oral RQC, providing 800 mg per day of curcuminoids plus 200 mg per day each of trans-resveratrol and quercetin, or to curcumin alone at 800 mg per day for two years. Drusen volume served as the primary marker for tracking AMD progression.

Two years: duration of participant supplementation in the trial
2026: publication of the study in Translational Vision Science and Technology

Roadmap

The trial extends the search for supplement-based AMD interventions beyond the vitamin and zinc formulation validated by the National Eye Institute's AREDS and AREDS2 studies. It tests whether compounds acting on overlapping inflammatory and oxidative pathways can show comparable promise in a population where AMD prevalence is expected to rise with aging.

Because the trial was small and preliminary, these supplements are not an established treatment for AMD and should not replace care recommended by an eye specialist. Readers with early or intermediate AMD should discuss any supplement use with their doctor before starting it.

The takeaway

Dietary compounds are being tested as possible support for eye health, but this small trial is an early signal rather than proof. Anyone concerned about macular degeneration should rely on regular eye exams and evidence-based treatment decisions.