Asthma
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Allergy
- Magnesium deficiency
- Pollution
- Selenium deficiency
- Vitamin B6 deficiency.
49 patients with asthma were found to have significantly lower selenium levels in their plasma and whole blood compared with controls. Stone J et al: Reduced selenium status of patients with asthma. Clin Sci 77(5):495-500, 1989.
Dietary magnesium was measured in 2633 adults in England. A 100 mg/day higher magnesium intake was associated with a 27.7 mL higher forced expiratory volume and a reduction in the risk of hyper-reactivity and wheeze. The investigators conclude that a low magnesium intake may be a factor in the development of asthma. Britton J et al: Dietary magnesium, lung function, wheezing and airway hyperreactivity in a random adult population sample. Lancet 344(8919):357-62, 1994.
In 15 adult asthma patients, plasma and red cell vitamin B6 levels were much lower than in a group of 16 controls. Vitamin B6 supplementation brought a dramatic decrease in asthma attacks. Reynolds RD et al: Depressed pyridoxal phosphate concentrations in adult asthmatics. Am J Clin Nutr 41(4):684-8, 1985.
In a study on 77,866 women comparing dietary factors with airway function it was found that women with the highest vitamin E intake from food had only half the risk of asthma compared with those on the lowest intake. Troisi RJ et al: A prospective study of diet and adult-onset asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 151(5):1401-8, 1995.
Promising nutritional research92 per cent of asthma sufferers improved on a vegan low-allergen diet. Lindahl O et al: Vegan regimen with reduced medication in the treatment of bronchial asthma. J Asthma 22:45-55, 1985.
Patients admitted to a clean-air environment and placed on a therapeutic fast were able to significantly reduce their anti-asthma medications. On follow-up, after following a rotation diet and using Miller vaccines, 68% reported being "definitely better" and 25% described themselves as "well" or "almost well". Maberly DJ et al: Asthma management in a "clean" environment: 2. Progress and outcome in a cohort of patients. J Nutr Med 3:231-248, 1992.
322 children under 1 year of age with respiratory allergy were given a hypoallergenic diet for 6 weeks consisting of meat base formula, beef, carrots, broccoli and apricots. 91% showed a significant improvement. Skin tests did not correlate with results of feeding the children with foods they reacted to. The most common problem foods were milk, egg, chocolate, soya, pulses and grains. Ogle KA et al: Children with allergic rhinitis and/or bronchial asthma treated with elimination diet: a five-year follow-up. Ann Allergy 44(5):273, 1980.
In 19 severe asthmatics who failed to respond to conventional treatments and were given intravenous magnesium sulphate infusions in a hospital emergency department, there was a significant improvement in breathing ability compared with the placebo group. Skobeloff EM et al: Intravenous magnesium sulfate for the treatment of acute asthma in the emergency department. JAMA 262(9):1210-3, 1989.
In a double-blind study on 76 asthmatic children, 100 mg vitamin B6 supplementation daily brought significant improvement and a reduction in the use of conventional medications. A dose of 50 mg per day was not effective. Collipp PJ et al: Pyridoxine treatment of childhood bronchial asthma. Ann Allergy 35(2):93-7, 1975.
In twelve asthmatics given 500 mg vitamin C supplements daily, there was a considerable reduction in asthma symptoms after exercise, compared with placebo. Schachter EN et al: The attenuation of exercise-induced bronchospasm by ascorbic acid. Ann Allergy 49(3):146-51, 1982.
The scientific literature points to low levels of selenium in asthmatics compared with the normal population. 24 asthmatics were given either selenium supplements or placebo for 14 weeks. The supplemented group experienced a significant increase in glutathione peroxidase levels (a marker of selenium sufficiency) and significant clinical improvement. Hasselmark L et al: Selenium supplementation in intrinsic asthma. Allergy 48(1):30-6, 1993.
4 of 5 asthmatic children sensitive to sulphite food additives failed to develop bronchospasm when challenged with metabisulphite, after pretreatment with vitamin B12. Anibarro B et al: Asthma with sulfite intolerance in children: a blocking study with cyanocobalamin. J Allergy Clin Immunol 90(1):103-9, 1992.
12 asthmatics were treated with omega-3 fatty acids for one year in a double-blind trial. A positive effect on forced expiratory volume was observed after 9 months. Dry J et al: Effect of a fish oil diet on asthma: results of a 1-year double-blind study. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol 95(2-3):156-7, 1991.