How Eating Salmon Can Help Children with Asthma
Omega-3s, found in salmon and other fish, may help make asthma symptoms less severe.
Every year, more and more children in western countries are diagnosed with allergic diseases. Some experts have suggested that declining consumption of omega-3s and antioxidants (e.g., vitamins E and C), along with the high intake of omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils favor the development of allergies such as eczema, asthma and hay fever. Eating less fat of all kinds and more seafood omega-3s has been associated with improved immune function and less severe symptoms in some children and adults with these allergic conditions.
Asthma
Asthma results from chronic inflammation of the airways. The condition affects about 16 million American adults, but often begins in childhood. People with asthma have episodes of breathing difficulty, wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Breathing problems can be triggered by allergens, irritating substances in the air (e.g., smoke), infection and exercise.
Although there are many studies of the effects of fish oil in people with asthma, findings are mixed and inconclusive. Many studies found little benefit from moderately high amounts of omega-3s. However, several epidemiological studies (observations comparing the condition in one group with another) indicate that low omega-3 intake and levels in blood are linked to greater occurrence of asthma. In addition, foods consumed in most western countries, particularly in the U.S., are high in the fatty acids that promote inflammatory responses (polyunsaturated vegetable oils) and very low in omega-3s.
Several studies with fish oil supplementation reported that inflammatory substances were significantly reduced, even if symptoms were unaffected. More recent research in asthmatic patients undergoing exercise reported that the consumption of fish oil for three weeks prior to exercise significantly improved lung function, reduced the use of a bronchodilator (inhaler), and decreased the production of inflammatory substances.
Several studies in children at risk of asthma suggest that consuming fish in early childhood, before the age of one year, may reduce the chance of developing the condition, delay it, or result in less severe symptoms. Children with higher intakes of seafood omega-3s have less wheezing and coughing com- pared with children with low levels. Omega-3s do not prevent the condition, but help make it less severe.
* EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA or docosahexaenoic acid
† Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturates with a slightly different structure from omega-3s
More on Zissle:
Alaska Salmon: Boost Your Family’s Immune System with Fish Omega-3 - includes a super kid-friendly yummy salmon dinner recipe: Salmon in a Blanket.
Eating Omega-3-rich Fish Can Help Children with Eczema
ZisBoomBah would like to thank the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) for letting us share this valuable information with our readers. It was originally published at Wild Alaska Flavor.
