Asthma is a chronic disease that makes breathing difficult by narrowing the airways. Asthma is characterized by wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and excess mucus production. For some people, asthma is a minor inconvenience. Yet, for other people, asthma is a major problem that interferes with activities of daily living, making simple activities difficult. Asthma cannot be treated; however its symptoms can be controlled. One effective treatment is the use of antioxidants that promote asthma medications and healthy lung function.
Selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is found in cereal grains, nuts, legumes, animal products and seafood. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to create selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. Selenoproteins serve a variety of functions such as thyroid regulation, immune enhancement and prevention of cellular oxidation from free radicals. In "Selenium and Asthma: A Complex Relationship," P.R. Hoffmann reports that selenium intake was related to the lowest infiltration and airway hyperactivity among subjects. This suggests selenium has an immune protecting effect in asthma.
Vitamin C
Gary Hatch in "Asthma, Inhaled Oxidants, and Dietary Antioxidants," published in 1995 in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," reports that low dietary vitamin C intake is associated with increased asthmatic symptoms including bronchitis and wheezing. Vitamin C is an important water-soluble vitamin found in fruits and leafy green vegetables. It has the ability to donate a hydrogen ion to reverse oxidation and interfere with free radicals. Asthma patients have been reported to have lower than normal concentrations of vitamin C in their plasma and blood leukocytes. Dietary vitamin C has been shown to reduce symptoms such as coughing and wheezing associated with oxidative stress. Results suggest the potential for modest effect of a large supplementation of vitamin C in reversing hyperresponsiveness and other symptoms of ongoing asthma
Vitamin E
Graziano Riccioni in "Antioxidant Vitamin Supplementation in Asthma," published in 2007 in "Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science," explains that vitamin E, an important antioxidant, plays an essential protective role against free radicals in the body. Vitamin E, a hydrogen donor, becomes oxidized itself, while preventing the oxidation of other substances more metabolically unstable. This reaction is vitally important when free radicals are present as they are highly reactive and can attack double bonds, producing more free radicals. While more research is needed, Riccioni's study shows that elevated serum vitamin E levels are positively correlated with lower rates of asthma. Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.
Vitamin D
In "Serum Vitamin D Levels and Severe Asthma Exacerbation in the Childhood Asthma Management Program Study" published in 2010, John Brehm and colleagues found that asthmatic children with low levels of vitamin D in their blood were at greater risk of suffering acute asthma attacks. This vitamin D "insufficiency" led to children who were more likely to have an asthma attack that required a trip to the hospital. While vitamin D does not provide protection from moderate asthmatic symptoms, low levels were associated with a greater risk of severe asthma attacks.
Beta Carotene
Beta-carotene is a substance found in dark green and orange-yellow vegetables that the body converts into vitamin A, a natural antioxidant and immune booster. As reported by S. Allen and colleagues in 2009 in "Antioxidant Vitamin Intake Could Be Linked to Asthma," the increased incidence of asthma, with all of its symptoms, has been associated with low intakes of vitamin A. Decreased serum vitamin A levels have been associated with worsening lung function, and improved levels linked with enhanced medical management of asthmatic symptoms.
Phytochemicals
According to Jeanelle Boyer and Rui Hai Liu in "Apple Phytochemicals and Their Health Benefits," published in 2004, phytochemicals such as those found in apples, pears and other fruits and vegetables have been inversely linked to asthma and positively associated with lung function and pulmonary health. Phytochemical consumption has proven effective in decreasing both the risk of asthma and bronchial hypersensitivity. Phytochemicals work to protect proper immune function.
References
- "Nursing Standard"; Antioxidant Vitamin Intake Could be Linked to Asthma; S. Allen et al; June 2009
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Asthma, Inhaled Oxidants, and Dietary Antioxidants; Gary Hatch; March 1995
- "Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science"; Antioxidant Vitamin Supplementation in Asthma; Graziano Riccioni; March 2007
- "The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology"; Serum Vitamin D Levels and Severe Asthma Exacerbations in the Childhood Asthma Management Program Study; John Brehm et al; March 2010
