Organize your questions and next steps, then save your worksheet.
Summary and next steps
Compare AREDS2 serving sizes and ingredient panels, flag beta-carotene, and prepare questions about smoking history and zinc for your eye-care team.
Editorial maintenance: October 24, 2026. Summary layout, related links and technical metadata updated. This is not a full clinical review.
Before comparing bottles: ask your eye-care professional whether an AREDS2 supplement is appropriate for your AMD findings. Smoking history matters when checking ingredients, but it does not establish that you need a supplement.
This page is a label-reading worksheet. For the broader discussion, see AREDS2 for smokers and ex-smokers: formula safety.
Read the serving size before comparing amounts
Put the complete Supplement Facts panel and directions side by side. Check whether each amount is listed per capsule, per serving, or per daily serving. A front label and a capsule count do not tell you the full formulation.
Record the serving size exactly as printed. If one product lists two capsules per serving and another lists one, comparing the numbers without their serving basis can be misleading. Do not change your intake to make a bottle match a table on this website.
Check the full formulation, not just lutein
NEI’s published AREDS2 formulation includes vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, lutein and zeaxanthin, without beta-carotene. A product containing lutein alone is not that combination. Use the NEI formulation reference with your clinician or pharmacist when comparing the exact product.
| Label item | What to record |
|---|---|
| Product and version | Full name; distinguish similarly named versions. |
| Serving basis | Capsules or tablets per serving and the printed directions. |
| Ingredients | Each nutrient, its amount and its unit. |
| Beta-carotene | Whether it appears anywhere on the panel. |
| Other products | Full labels of any multivitamins or additional supplements. |
| Questions | Differences from the product your care team discussed. |
Flag beta-carotene and discuss smoking history
NEI warns that the older beta-carotene-containing AREDS formula can increase lung-cancer risk in current and former smokers. The newer AREDS2 formulation replaces beta-carotene with lutein and zeaxanthin. This distinction does not make every product suitable for every person. See NEI’s patient guidance on uses and risks.
Tell your care team about current or past smoking and show all the products you use. Do not infer an individual risk estimate from the year you quit or from a brief online checklist.
Treat zinc differences as a review question
The NEI trial FAQ explains the 80 mg and 25 mg zinc comparisons and their study limitations. This is not a reason to select or adjust zinc on your own. Ask the clinician who knows your diagnosis which formulation and instructions apply to you.
Bring these questions to the appointment
- What AMD findings make a supplement relevant to my care?
- Does this exact product match the formulation you intend?
- How should I interpret its serving size and directions?
- Do my other medicines or supplements create overlap or interaction concerns?
- What should I do if I have a possible side effect or cannot tolerate the product?
Keep personal health details in your private records. The appointment checklist can help organize general questions. For the research behind the smoking warning, read beta-carotene and smoking history: what the studies found.
What a completed label check cannot establish
A checked panel is not a diagnosis, a prescription, or proof that a supplement will help you. It cannot establish product quality or predict your response. NCCIH notes that supplements can interact with medicines and should not replace conventional eye care; see its eye-condition safety guidance.
Editorial source review: October 24, 2026. Rewritten by a non-clinician to focus on label comparison. Removed unverified shopping stories, product-selection shortcuts and the previous generic cost calculator. This is not a clinical review or an individual supplement recommendation. Editorial policy.
PUT THIS GUIDE TO WORK · INTERACTIVE WORKSHEET
Create a supplement-and-smoking-history question card
Use this worksheet alongside the article: AREDS2 Label Checklist: Serving Size, Ingredients and Smoking History. Use the fields provided to organize your notes and next actions, then save your worksheet.
Your entries stay in this page and are cleared when you reload. No account is needed. Saved files are downloaded only to your device.
This card organizes a discussion or task. It does not provide diagnosis, treatment, medication timing, driving clearance, or professional approval. Copy clinical instructions exactly and ask the professional about uncertainty.
How to use your result
Save the worksheet before leaving this page. Recheck any quote, date, or instruction with the relevant provider, pharmacist, manufacturer, or official organization. A completed checklist means you recorded the steps, not that an outcome is guaranteed.
Worksheet added October 20, 2026. Read the article above for context and its stated review scope.