Using cell cultures from local asthma patients, researchers found that:
Omega-3 fatty acid products can reduce the production of IgE, the antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms in people with milder cases of asthma.
However, in patients with severe asthma who use high doses of oral steroids, the omega-3 fatty acids are less effective because the corticosteroids block the beneficial effects.
People with asthma have an imbalance between molecules that dampen inflammation and those that increase inflammation. Using steroids as treatment controls the inflammation and relieves symptoms, but does not cure the underlying disease.
The study
Lead author Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D., the Wright Family Research Professor of Environmental Medicine, and his lab had previously shown that certain fatty acids contained in fish oil regulate the function of immune cells (B cells).
To further investigate the effects on asthma, they collected blood from 17 patients and isolated their B immune cells in the laboratory to explore the impact of pure omega-3-derived products on IgE and other molecules that fuel the disease.
Most of the patients in the study were taking corticosteroids. Results showed that all responded to the omega-3 fatty acids to some degree, but unexpectedly, the cells from a small subset of patients who were taking oral steroids were less sensitive to the omega-3 treatment.
Steroids are usually a very effective treatment for asthma. However, although the science is in the early stages, it appears that when corticosteroids are used steadily, in some cases the steroids reduce some of the body’s natural ability to fight asthma-related inflammation, Phipps said.
This discovery coincides with a study in late December 2016, showing that prenatal exposure to fish oil reduced the risk of wheeze and asthma in children.
High-quality fish oil is best
Phipps noted that consumers should use caution when buying fish oil, because not all fish oil is the same.
“You really need high-quality, standardised material that’s been processed and stored correctly before comparing results from one study to another study,” Phipps said. “Our study used the pure, biologically active products in fish oil, known as 17-HDHA, and we’ve provided a clear line of evidence for why intake of high-quality fish oil is good.”
Foods with omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to have many health benefits. Once ingested, they are converted into special pro-resolving mediators that halt inflammation without also suppressing the immune system.
They can be found in foods such as flaxseed oil, salmon, tuna, anchovies and walnuts.
Source: All4Women.
