Omega-3 Oils Improve Lung Function
Noel Peterson, ND
The proper balance of fatty acids may give everyone a reason to breathe easier. Smoking, asthma, and bronchitis all wreak havoc on respiratoryfunction by inciting chronic inflammation in the lung. Balancingfatty acids may be a key nutritional approach for curbing these nflammatory mechanisms, reducing symptoms of lung disease, and slowing the decline of respiratory function, according to a recent article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the lipid membrane of cells in the body can impact the activity of key modulators of lung disease by blocking the leukotrienes that incite bronchial passages to constrict and impeding the recruitment of neutrophils that trigger chronic inflammation
Studies show that fatty acids also reduce other pro-inflammatory mediators (thromboxane B2) associated with lung damage and that specific deficiencies may play a role in the progression of diseases such as cystic fibrosis. For healthy individuals, proper fatty acid nutrition may even help to guard against the "natural" decline of lung function associated with aging.
"The human lung has evolved during a period when the total intake of fatty acids and the distribution of types of dietary fatty acids were considerably different from those of today," points out author Joel Schwartz of the Harvard School of Public Health. Changes in fatty acid composition in cell membranes brought on by the modern diet, such as higher levels of linoleic acid and saturated fats, may impair lung function, even in healthy people who don't smoke.
"Healthy persons who have never smoked lose approximately 30 mL of forced expiratory volume per year of age because their lungs are constantly being challenged by both infectious agents and particles that elicit inflammatory responses, such as aeroallergens or combustion particles," Schwartz notes.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination survey revealed that people who ate a lot of fish had an 80 mL increase in forced expiratory volume. Fish-eaters also showed a 25% reduced risk of bronchitis and 18% lower incidence of wheezing, although these benefits were also linked to other nutrients in the diet, such as vitamin C, sodium, and potassium.
Although clinical results are mixed, long range intervention studies have reported improved lung function in asthmatics in response to n-3 fatty acids, including a reduced airway responsiveness to allergens, especially in children.
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Source: Schwarz J. Role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in lung disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71 (suppl):393S-6S.