
A new study, published June 26, 2023, in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, indicates positive results for consuming omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce lung function decline.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), primarily funded the two-part study, which is the largest of its kind to assess the effects of nutritional interventions on lung disease prevention efforts.
“We know a lot about the role of diet in cancer and cardiovascular diseases, but the role of diet in chronic lung disease is somewhat understudied,” said corresponding author Patricia A. Cassano, PhD, director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. “This study adds to growing evidence that omega-3 fatty acids, which are part of a healthy diet, may be important for lung health too.”
Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fish, including salmon, tuna, and sardines, and fish oil supplements. The study indicated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in particular, provided the largest benefit. DHA is also available as a dietary supplement.
“We’re starting to turn a corner in nutritional research and really moving toward precision nutrition for treating lung diseases,” said study first author Bonnie K. Patchen, PhD, a nutritionist and member of Cassano’s research team at Cornell. “In the future, this could translate into individualized dietary recommendations for people at high risk for chronic lung disease.”
In the first part of the study, researchers assembled longitudinal data from the NHLBI Pooled Cohorts Study to examine the associations of omega-3 fatty acids with lung function decline. The study’s positive findings are largely commensurate across sex, race and ethnicity, with the greatest results occurring among former smokers and people of Hispanic race.
Scientists used UK Biobank data for the Mendelian Randomization study, analyzing genetic markers in the blood to evaluate the relationship between lung health and omega-3 fatty acids. The study revealed that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids could be linked to improved lung function.
The NIH study included participants from the general population who were healthy and had little to no evidence of chronic lung disease. Researchers already are collaborating with the COPDGene Study to analyze the same parameters among people who have COPD to determine if the health benefits remain consistent.
“This large population-based study suggests that nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties may help to maintain lung health,” said James P. Kiley, PhD, director of the NHLBI’s Division of Lung Diseases. “More research is needed, since these findings raise interesting questions for future prospective studies about the link between omega-3 fatty acids and lung function.”
The current U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends two servings of fish each week. Additional sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish oil supplements, plant oils, certain nuts and seeds, and other fortified foods.