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Smoking status: not checked. AREDS2 Formula: what these mean for you changes depending on whether you smoke or used to, and you have not told us. That check was skipped.
Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
AREDS2 Formula vs Potassium: Potassium has the stronger overall evidence (8.5 vs 7/10); the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Potassium wins 2 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Too few graded studies
Top outcomes
Verdict
Probably helps
2 of 3 studies with measurable effects showed benefit.
Top outcomes
One AREDS2 daily regimen, usually split into two servings: vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, zinc 80 mg (as zinc oxide) and copper 2 mg (as cupric oxide)
With meals
A product matching the AREDS2 composition exactly: vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, zinc 80 mg, copper 2 mg
Supplements commonly provide 99 mg per serving, and food provides more (no cited trial states the dose it used). No upper limit is established, so no maximum is stored. That is not a statement that larger amounts are safe.
With food to reduce GI upset, Spread throughout day, During/after exercise for athletes
Potassium Citrate or Potassium Gluconate
and 3 more not shown
and 10 more not shown
Years — average follow-up was 6.3 years
Years
Long-term
Years
2-4 weeks
1-2 weeks
Long-term
With excess or kidney issues
Lutein + zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial.
JAMA (2013) · Rct · n=4203
Primary analysis was NULL: lutein/zeaxanthin HR 0.90 (98.7% CI 0.76-1.07, P=.12); DHA+EPA HR 0.97 (0.82-1.16, P=.70); both together HR 0.89 (0.75-1.06, P=.10)
A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8.
Arch Ophthalmol (2001) · Rct · n=3640
Antioxidants plus zinc vs placebo for advanced AMD: OR 0.72 (99% CI 0.52-0.98). Zinc alone OR 0.75 (0.55-1.03); antioxidants alone OR 0.80 (0.59-1.09) — neither significant on its own
Long-term Outcomes of Adding Lutein/Zeaxanthin and ω-3 Fatty Acids to the AREDS Supplements on Age-Related Macular Degeneration Progression: AREDS2 Report 28.
JAMA Ophthalmol (2022) · Cohort · n=3882
10-year lung cancer odds ratio: 1.82 (95% CI 1.06-3.12, P=.02) for beta-carotene assignment vs 1.15 (0.79-1.66, P=.46) for lutein/zeaxanthin
Effect of changes in potassium intake on blood pressure: a dose–response meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (2000–2024)
Clinical Kidney Journal (2025) · Meta analysis
Our meta-analysis included 10 RCTs, comprising 4 studies on subjects without hypertension and 6 studies on subjects with hypertension.
Magnesium and Potassium Supplementation for Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction in the General Normotensive Population: A Systematic Review and Subgroup Meta-Analysis for Optimal Dosage and Treatment Length
Nutrients (2024) · Meta analysis
Both supplements demonstrated greater reductions in SBP for the general population at lower dosages and longer treatment durations.
Sex-specific associations between sodium and potassium intake and overall and cause-specific mortality: a large prospective U.S. cohort study, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis of cohort studies
BMC medicine (2024) · Meta analysis · n=416104
Prospective analysis of 237,036 men and 179,068 women in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, plus an updated meta-analysis of cohort studies.
Potassium has a higher evidence score (8.5/10 vs 7/10) and wins in 2 of 3 categories.
No documented interaction was found in the data searched. This does not establish that this exact combination is safe.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.