Childhood asthma: omega-3s during pregnancy help prevent it

The consumption of supplements containing high doses of omega-3 during the last three months of pregnancy may protect the unborn child from childhood asthma. According to a recent study, children born to women who took fish oil supplements rich in EPA and DHA during pregnancy have a lower risk of asthma, wheezing, and respiratory tract infections.

The research was conducted by an international team of scientists led by Professor Bisgaard from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Childhood asthma is the most common disease in pediatrics

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. The inflammation is associated with bronchial hyperreactivity causing recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, especially at night or early morning. Childhood asthma is more common in Western countries; worldwide, it has been diagnosed in over 10% of the pediatric population in industrialized countries, with projections of up to 400 million cases by 2025. In Italy, the SIDRIA-2 study in 2002 estimated a prevalence of about 10% of childhood asthma in children aged 6-7 and 13-14 years. Childhood asthma is the most common chronic disease in pediatrics, and, manifesting very early in life compared to other chronic diseases, it causes a significant economic and social impact. Asthma and allergic diseases impair the quality of life of young patients and their families. It limits normal activities, affecting sports participation, sleep, and school performance. Childhood asthma can manifest with highly variable clinical symptoms that differ in time and intensity. These variations can be triggered by factors such as:

• Physical exercise
• Exposure to allergens (dust mites, pollens, molds, pet dander)
• Pollutants
• Climate changes
• Exposure to tobacco smoke

Although asthma can be controlled and treated, mainly pharmacologically, currently there are no known methods for prevention or definitive cure.

Omega-3 supplements in pregnancy reduce asthma risk by one third

The study results, conducted on Danish women, showed that the risk of childhood asthma, wheezing, and respiratory infections in the first five years of life was almost one third lower in children born to women who took supplements containing 2.4 grams of fish oil rich in omega-3 during pregnancy. "We have long suspected a link between the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s, the low intake of these fatty acids in Western diets, and rising rates of childhood asthma, and this study shows these elements are significantly correlated," said Professor Bisgaard commenting on the data. "Asthma and wheezing have more than doubled in Western countries over recent decades, and now there appears to be a preventive measure to help reduce cases," he added. In a comment published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Christopher Ramsden from the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore (USA) emphasized that, although the study results are very promising, the omega-3 dose used in the research is about 15-20 times higher than average consumption. This highlights the importance of ensuring consumers that such a dose has no behavioral or cognitive side effects and the need for further studies to determine if lower amounts are equally effective.

Supplements most effective for women with low omega-3 levels

The study also showed that women with low EPA and DHA blood levels at the start of the research benefited most from supplementation, with a 54% reduction in asthma risk in their children compared to mothers who did not take supplements. "Identifying these women and providing supplements should be considered a frontline defense to reduce and prevent childhood asthma," said Professor Ken Stark, co-author of the study. Dr. Ramsden also noted that the stronger preventive effect in children whose mothers had low baseline EPA and DHA blood levels is particularly interesting, highlighting the importance of measuring baseline omega-3 levels in future studies and public health initiatives.

Study details

The research team selected 736 women who received daily treatment from the 24th week of pregnancy onward with supplements containing 2.4 grams of omega-3 (55% EPA and 37% DHA in triglyceride form) or a placebo based on olive oil. The researchers then followed the offspring of 695 participants for 5 years. Results showed that the risk of persistent asthma or wheezing in children born to women who received omega-3 supplements during pregnancy was 31% lower compared to those in the placebo group. Additionally, supplementation was significantly linked to a reduction in lower respiratory tract infections (31.7% of cases versus 39.1%) and a reduction, though not statistically significant, in asthma exacerbations, eczema, and allergies.

Omega-3 to counter asthma in those most sensitive to treatment

According to the researchers, supplementation during pregnancy with high doses of marine-derived omega-3 is effective in reducing childhood asthma risk, particularly in pregnant women with low EPA and DHA blood levels. These findings suggest the need for further studies and highlight the importance of a personalized medicine approach, where factors such as fatty acid blood levels, genotype, and family history of asthma should be considered to tailor intervention strategies for those most likely to benefit.

Omega-3 supplements during pregnancy: VitaDHA Materna

VitaDHA Materna is a supplement particularly recommended during pregnancy, based on DHA, EPA, and folic acid. One tablet of VitaDHA Materna contains 350 milligrams of omega-3 and 400 micrograms of highly bioavailable folic acid.

Source: Hans Bisgaard, et al. "Fish Oil–Derived Fatty Acids in Pregnancy and Wheeze and Asthma in Offspring", New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).