New data from a large,
comprehensive study in healthy individuals financed by the National Institutes
of Health suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, which are rich in fish and fish
oil supplements, may be helpful in maintaining lung health. The study offers the
greatest evidence of this link to date and emphasises the necessity of adding
omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, particularly in light of the fact that many
Americans fall short of the recommended amounts. The study's findings were
published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The study was largely funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI), a division of National Institute of Health (NIH), Washington DC.
The question of whether
nutritional therapies could aid in the fight against lung illness has gained
more attention recently. Because of their well-documented anti-inflammatory
effects, omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to promising results in earlier
studies. However, until recently, there haven't been any reliable
investigations of this link.
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Researchers designed a two-part study to find out more about the relationship between lung function over time and blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study, a sizable collection of NIH-funded studies that aids researchers in understanding the determinants of individual risk for chronic lung disease, was used by the researchers to perform a longitudinal, observational study in the first portion including 15,063 Americans.
The majority of the
patients in the trial were in generally good condition at the start and showed
no signs of chronic lung disease. They were adults of various races, with an
average age of 56, and 55% of them were female. Participants were followed by
the researchers for up to 20 years, on average seven years.
Higher blood levels of
omega-3 fatty acids were linked to a slower rate of deterioration in lung
function, according to the longitudinal study. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an
omega-3 fatty acid that is abundant in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and
sardines, showed the highest connections, according to the study. Additionally,
DHA is offered as a nutritional supplement.
In the second section,
the researchers examined genetic information from a sizable study of European
patients from the UK Biobank (more than 500,000 individuals). In order to
determine how dietary omega-3 fatty acid levels connected with lung health,
researchers looked at specific genetic markers in the blood as an indirect
measure, or proxy. The findings revealed that enhanced lung function was linked
to higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA.
The present study does
have one drawback: it only involved healthy adults. Researchers are examining
blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in relation to the rate of deterioration in
lung function among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD,
including heavy smokers, as part of this ongoing project to see if the same
beneficial associations are found.
For the time being, the
researchers draw attention to the fact that most Americans fall far short of
the Dietary Guidelines for Americans' recommendation those adults consume at
least two servings of fish per week. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in
nuts, seeds, plant oils, and fortified meals in addition to fish and fish oil.
