Dr. Bassett

Do fish oils protect against asthma?

One of the major components of asthma is airway inflammation (swelling of the lung passages).  It appears that supplementation with fish oils may provide a natural “anti-inflammatory” benefit in asthma.  EPA and DHA are some of the more important components of fish oils and they block some of chemicals responsible for chronic asthma. 

Studies out of Japan indicated fish oil supplements reduced asthma symptoms and severity in children.  Researchers from Australia also reported eating oily fish (i.e. Atlantic salmon, trout) was associated with lowering the risk of a child from developing asthma as well as a reduction in asthma severity. 

And now prenatal exposure to various fish oils may have a protective effect against asthma.   My colleague Dr. Roberta Lee, Medical Director of the Center for Health and Healing Director in New York City, stated “I have observed great clinical improvement using fish oil supplements as an adjunctive  therapy to standard allergy and asthma care.”  There is a huge need to further study this in preventing asthma and to complement standard treatment in larger controlled trials.  

Dr. Clifford W. Bassett is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the Long Island College Hospital and on the faculty of NYU School of Medicine.  He is the current vice chair for public education committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.  No information in this blog is intended to diagnose or treat any condition.