Lee Swanson Research Update

Study Shows Fatty Acids May Help Improve Lung Function

Febraury 2006

Lung function

Following a diet that includes high amounts of omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may help improve lung function among people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published in the journal Chest.

The fifth-leading cause of death worldwide, COPD is characterized by chronic inflammation. Scientists at the Division of Respiratory Medicine, Respiratory and Stress Care Center, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan "hypothesized that nutritional support with omega-3 PUFA-rich diets may be useful for treating COPD, and we compared the clinical features and inflammatory mediator levels between the COPD patients who received an omega-3 PUFA-rich supplement and those who received a non-rich supplement."

The two-year study divided 64 patients with COPD into two groups, one of which received an omega-3 PUFA-rich diet. After 25 months, researchers discovered that levels of a certain marker for inflammation were much lower in the group eating the fatty acid-enriched diet. Shortness of breath also decreased and the researchers observed an overall improvement in exercise tolerance. As a result, researchers concluded: "We suggest nutritional support with an omega-3 PUFA-rich diet as a safe and practical method for treating COPD."

Chest 128(6):3817-3827, 2005

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