Mickelborough, T. D., Lindley, M. R., Alina, I. A., & Fly, A. D. (2006). Protective effect of fish oil supplementation on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic subjects. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(5), Supplement abstract 2160.

Previous research has demonstrated that fish oil supplementation has a protective effect on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in elite athletes, which may be attributed to its antiinflammatory properties. Since exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthma involves proinflammatory mediator release, it is feasible that fish oil supplementation may reduce the severity of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthmatic subjects. Asthmatic patients (N = 16) were subjected to three weeks of fish-oil capsules or a placebo.

On normal and placebo diets, Ss exhibited exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. However, the fish oil diet improved pulmonary function to below the diagnostic exercise-induced bronchoconstriction threshold, with a concurrent reduction in bronchodilator use.

Implication. Fish oil supplementation is beneficial nonpharmacological intervention for asthmatic subjects with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

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