Linking Asthma & Obesity
It is not a coincidence that America’s children are experiencing an asthma and obesity epidemic. Both conditions are marked by higher-than-normal levels of inflammation. One new study proves a molecular mechanism linking asthma and obesity and another study shows that routine anti-inflammatory supplements can reduce the need for asthma medication.
In the first study, it was demonstrated that the four inflammatory genes that are excessively activated in asthma are made worse by the inflammation coming from obesity, often causing the activity of these gene to double. Furthermore, weight loss was shown to cause a drop in these inflammatory gene signals.
“Our findings point the way to the management of asthma in the obese through simple weight reduction,” said first author Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University at Buffalo. “Ours is the first study to provide a mechanistic link between obesity and asthma through biological/immunological mechanisms,” Dandona said. “There has been, until now, no biological, mechanistic explanation other than the fact that obesity may raise the diaphragm and thus reduce lung volumes.” Importantly, the research established a connection between type 2 diabetes, obesity and asthma based on biological mechanisms. This is important because obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with a more than 100 percent increase in the prevalence of asthma, Dandona said.
The second study was a 16-week supplement intervention in 192 asthmatic school children. The children were given supplements of fruit and vegetable concentrates, omega 3 fish oil, and friendly flora probiotics (all of which reduce inflammation).
The supplement group, compared to placebo, showed significant improvement in lung function and a significantly reduced use of short-acting inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids.
Asthma, regardless of the cause, is partly an inflammatory problem. Managing any source of inflammation helps. The simple process of weight loss can have a major impact, as can nutrients that are inherently anti-inflammatory in nature.
