Fishoil and Asthma (info that you might be intrested in)

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Diet rich in fish may help prevent childhood asthma

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. Childhood asthma is now a major health problem in Australia

with 31% of West Australian children having been diagnosed with the condition.

Chronic inflammation of the airways is also a major problem with 12% of the

population reporting wheeze severe enough to disturb sleep. Studies involving

Australian school children have shown that those who consume oily fish more than

once a week have a significantly reduced risk of asthma.

Australian researchers now suggest that the epidemic of childhood asthma is

associated with a change in the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio in the

Australian diet. It used to be around 5:1, but is now 15:1 or higher. They

recently concluded a study of 355 school children of which 166 had been

diagnosed with asthma at 6 years of age and the remaining 169 acted as

asthma-free controls. A comparison of the two groups showed that the significant

risk factors for asthma were:

a.. Gestational age less than 37 months (OR=2.93)

b.. Maternal asthma (OR=6.13)

c.. Breastfeeding for less than 6 months (OR=2.25)

d.. A high omega-6/omega-3 ratio in the diet (OR=1.93)

After adjustment for other known risk factors the risk of asthma was 2.89 times

higher among children with an average dietary omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 18 than

among children with a ratio of 8. The researchers believe that the benefits of a

diet high in omega-3 fatty acids are due to the inclusion of more EPA

(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the two main components

of fish oil.

Oddy, W.H., et al. Ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids and childhood asthma.

Journal of Asthma, Vol. 41, No. 3, 2005, pp. 319-26

Fish oil benefits children with bronchial asthma

TOKYO, JAPAN. It is now clear that inflammation of the airways is an important

factor in asthma. Thus, it would make sense that supplementation with a natural

anti-inflammatory could benefit children with the disease. The two main

components of fish oil, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic

acid), inhibit the formation of leukotrienes and prostaglandins from arachidonic

acid and omega-6 fatty acids and thus reduce the generation of cytokines from

inflammatory cells.

Japanese researchers now report that supplementation with fish oil does indeed

reduce asthma symptoms in children with long-term bronchial asthma. Their study

involved 29 children between the ages of 8 and 14 years who had suffered from

asthma for an average of 10 years and were hospitalized for the condition. The

children were randomized to receive fish oil capsules or placebo capsules (olive

oil) three times daily for a 10-month period. The amount of fish oil given to

the children varied from 2.4 grams/day (500 mg EPA + 215 mg DHA) to 4.8

grams/day (1000 mg EPA + 430 mg DHA) depending on body weight. After 10 months

of therapy the asthma score (a measure of the severity and frequency of attacks)

had dropped from an average of 21 to an average of 6 in the fish oil group with

no significant change in the placebo group. The sensitivity to acetylcholine

inhalation (a promoter of attacks) also decreased significantly in the fish oil

group, but no change was observed in the placebo group.

The researchers conclude that fish oil supplementation for 10 months decreases

asthma scores and increases acetylcholine thresholds in children with bronchial

asthma. They do add that the conditions of their trial included a strictly

controlled environment in terms of diet and the presence of inhalant allergens.

Nagakura, T., et al. Dietary supplementation with fish oil rich in omega-3

polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with bronchial asthma. European

Respiratory Journal, Vol. 16, No. 5, November 2000, pp. 861-65

Fish oils help asthma patients

LARAMIE, WYOMING. Asthma is an increasingly common affliction in the Western

world. It is estimated that between 20 and 25 per cent of all children suffer

from one or more symptoms of asthma at some point. There is evidence that a high

dietary intake of linoleic acid (n-6 PUFA) may exacerbate asthma symptoms.

Linoleic acid is found in particularly high concentrations in vegetable oils

such as safflower, sunflower, and corn oils. Researchers at the University of

Wyoming now report that adjusting the dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty

acids (PUFAs) may be effective in reducing asthma symptoms in many patients.

Their experiment involved 26 non-smoking asthma-sufferers aged 19 to 25 years.

The normal dietary intake of n-6 PUFA was determined for all participants at the

start of the study and after one month. For the first month participants were

given fish oil capsules containing enough EPA and DHA to adjust their intake

ratio of n-3 PUFAs (fish oils) to n-6 PUFAs to 0.1:1. During the second month

the participants had their n-3 PUFA to n-6 PUFA ratio adjusted to 0.5:1. The

average fish oil intake required to produce the 0.5:1 ratio was 3.3 grams per

day. Extensive testing showed that more than 40 per cent of the participants

experienced a significant improvement in their breathing ability and better

resistance to asthma attacks while on the high fish oil diet. The researchers

conclude that dietary supplementation with fish oils or other enriched sources

of n-3 PUFAs may be a viable therapy for asthma.

Broughton, K. Shane, et al. Reduced asthma symptoms with n-3 fatty acid

ingestion are related to 5- series leukotriene production. American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 65, April 1997, pp. 1011- 17

Oily fish protects against childhood asthma

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. Researchers at the University of Sydney report that the

regular consumption of oily fish is associated with a much reduced risk of

developing asthma in childhood. Their study involved 574 children aged 8 to 11

years. The children's parents completed detailed questionnaires about the

frequency of the intake of more than 200 foods for a one-year period. The

children were evaluated for current asthma as defined by airway

hyperresponsiveness and a tendency to wheeze with or without exercise. The

researchers found that children who regularly consumed fresh, oily fish (such as

mullet, orange roughy, Atlantic salmon or rainbow trout which contains more than

two per cent fat) had a four times lower risk of developing asthma than did

children who rarely or never ate oily fish. The risk reduction persisted even

after adjustment for other risk factors such as parental asthma and smoking,

early respiratory infections, race, and place of birth. Consumption of non-oily

fish and canned fish was not associated with a reduced asthma risk. Fish oil

contains the two omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and

docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The researchers speculate that EPA may prevent the

development of asthma or reduce its severity by reducing airway inflammation and

responsiveness. A very recent study suggests that long-term fish oil

supplementation may reduce asthma severity.

Hodge, , et al. Consumption of oily fish and childhood asthma risk. Medical

Journal of Australia, Vol. 164, February 5, 1996, pp. 137-40

Hyperactive children lack essential fatty acids

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA. Children suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD) are inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive. Researchers at

Purdue University now report that hyperactive children have lower levels of key

fatty acids in their blood than do normal children. Their experiment involved 53

boys aged 6 to 12 years of age who suffered from ADHD, but were otherwise

healthy and 43 matched controls. Analyses showed that the boys with ADHD had

significantly lower levels of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic

acids in their blood. The hyperactive children suffered more from symptoms

associated with essential fatty acid deficiency (thirst, frequent urination, and

dry hair and skin) and were also much more likely to have asthma and to have had

many ear infections. The researchers conclude that ADHD may be linked to a low

intake of omega-3 fatty acids (linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic

acids) or a poorer ability to convert 18-carbon fatty acids to longer more

highly unsaturated acids. The researchers conclude that supplementation with the

missing fatty acids may be a useful treatment for hyperactivity.

s, J., et al. Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition, Vol. 62, No. 4, October 1995, pp. 761-68

Fish oils improve lung function in asthma patients

PARIS, FRANCE. Asthma involves an inflammation of the airway (pharynx, larynx

and lungs). Epidemiological studies have shown that populations with a high

intake of fish oils have a lower incidence of inflammatory diseases such as

asthma. French researchers have completed a small trial to see if oral fish oil

supplementation would benefit asthma patients. A total of 12 allergic asthmatic

patients who were routinely receiving inhaled salbutamol, steroid and sodium

nedocromil therapy participated in the one- year randomized, double-blind trial.

Half the patients received 1 gram of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and

docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily; the other half received a placebo.

Participants were evaluated every month and lung function tests performed every

three months. A significant improvement in lung function was observed among the

patients in the fish oil group. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)

increased by 23% after 9 months of supplementation. The researchers point out

that the treatment was well-tolerated and urge large-scale, long-term trials to

confirm their findings.

Dry, J. and , D. Effect of a fish oil diet on asthma: results of a 1-year

double-blind study. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, Vol. 95, 1991, pp. 156-57

this is what I found on the net,..

liefs

Annemie