Baleen whales, such as this humpback, live principally on krill, a shrimp-like crustacean that is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. (Daniel Bayer/AFP/Getty Images)
Inflammation of the airways is another common feature, and this may be accompanied by the presence of mucus that can obviously add to the obstruction of airflow. Common symptoms of active asthma include shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing.
There are many potential triggers for asthma. Some of these can come from within the body (for example, food), while others can come from the outside. Outside triggers include airborne agents such as pollen, mould spores, pollution, and the feces of the house dust mite.
I was interested to read about a nutritionally oriented approach that was tried in a group of house dust mite-sensitive asthmatics. The treatment tested was a dose of 0.6 gram per day of a blend of omega-3 fats. The study lasted five weeks. In the last two weeks of the study, the participants were challenged each day with house dust mite allergen.
The study participants were monitored with a number of tests, including the amount of nitric oxide they exhaled. This test provides an indirect measure of the amount of inflammation in the airways. Despite the relatively low dose of omega-3 used in this study and the quite short duration, the active treatment (compared to placebo) led to significantly lower levels of exhaled nitric oxide.
In other words, taking omega-3 appeared to reduce inflammation in the lungs of these asthmatics. This is consistent with prior knowledge that we have regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fats.
Allergic reactions to house dust mite feces (or other allergens) typically involve white blood cells known as eosinophils. Eosinophil counts in the blood generally go up during allergic responses in the body. The researchers found that eosinophil counts were lower in those taking the omgea-3 supplement compared to those taking placebo. Other markers of disease activity were also lower.
What this study suggests is that omega-3 supplementation may be beneficial for asthmatics, particularly those suffering from allergic asthma.
While interesting and relevant, this study does not tell us if omega-3 supplementation actually helped the symptoms of the asthmatics being tested.
However, previously some work has suggested that omega-3 supplementation may help asthma. In a study published in 2000, asthmatic children were treated with a mix of EPA and DHA (two omega-3 fats found in oily fish) or placebo (olive oil) for a period of 10 months. The total daily dose of omega-3 fats was in the order of 30 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day.
Omega-3 supplementation led to a significant reduction in asthma-symptom scores. This study provides at least some evidence that omega-3 supplementation has the potential to control asthma.
References:
1. Schubert R, et al. Effect of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Asthma after Low-Dose Allergen Challenge. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 2008; 148(4): 321–329
2. Nagakura et al. Dietary supplementation with fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with bronchial asthma. European Respiratory Journal 2000; 16(5): 861–865
Dr. John Briffa is a London-based physician and author with an interest in nutrition and natural medicine.
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