By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, January 24, 2006, abstracted from “Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers in COPD” in the December 2005 issue of Chest
Defined as “a slowly progressive disease of the airways that is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function”, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fifth-leading cause of death worldwide.1 Although 12.1 million adults ages 25 and older were diagnosed with COPD in 2001, it’s estimated that another 24 million adults have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating that COPD may actually be underdiagnosed. In 2001 alone, COPD cost our healthcare system over $32 billion.2
The hallmark of COPD is the chronic inflammation and buildup of white blood cells in small airways of the lungs3 that narrows the airways and destroys lung tissue.4 Current medical treatments for COPD are numerous, ranging from conservative measures such as smoking cessation and increased physical activity to more radical treatments such as oral steroids.5
Now a new study6 has found that helping COPD patients improve their quality of life may lie in supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acids.
Building upon previous research that showed that omega-3 fatty acids decrease lung inflammation,7 researchers had 64 patients diagnosed with COPD who had not smoked in the last six months receive a 400-calorie supplement containing either 60% omega-3 fats and 40% omega-6 fats or a 400-calorie supplement containing 7% omega-3 fats and 93% omega-6 fats.
Researchers found that, in a six-minute walk test, air flow “significantly improved” and inflammation “significantly decreased” in the omega-3 supplement group with “no significant change” in the omega-6 group. Further statistical analysis showed that the omega-3 PUFA-rich diet “significantly contributed” to the observed decrease in inflammation in this study.
For the researchers, omega-3 fatty acids are “a safe and practical method for treating COPD.”
Reference:
1 Pauwels RA, Rabe KF. Burden and clinical features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lancet 2004; 364:613-620
2 “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” posted on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/other/copd_fact.pdf
3 Barnes PJ, Shapiro SD, Pauwels RA. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: molecular and cellular mechanisms. Eur Respir J 2003; 22:672-688
4 Saetta M, Turato G, Maestrelli P, et al. Cellular and structural bases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001; 163:1304-1309
5 “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” posted on emedicine.com December 20, 2004 http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic373.htm
6 Wataru M. Effects of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Markers in COPD. Chest 128(6): 3817-3827
7 Pacht ER, DeMichele SJ, Nelson JL, et al. Enteral nutrition with eicosapentaenoic acid, [gamma]-linolenic acid, and antioxidants reduces alveolar inflammatory mediators and protein influx in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Crit Care Med 2003; 31:491-500
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