|
Children's allergies & asthma is on the rise in both Canada & the U.S. One of the many reasons may be that our diets are becoming more and more processed and lacking in nutrients. Omega 3's, or Omega-3- polyunsaturated fatty acids, are lacking in our western diet. In addition to being low or deficient, we have a high consumption of Omega 6. About a century ago, our Omega 6: Omega 3 ratio was around 4:1 or even less. Flash forward to today, our ratio is about 20:1. This drastic increase in Omega 6 compared to Omega 3 is thought to be increasing the risk of chronic diseases, including allergies & asthma.
Omega 3's are one of the oils that come from the fatty tissue of fish. Fish oil capsules are concentrated versions of two of the most important components: EPA & DHA. In practice, I recommend almost all of my pregnant patients take an Omega 3 supplement, or consume 2-3 servings of fish per week. For example, 100g of fresh salmon has about 4g of Omega 3. Canned salmon contains around 1g. I typically recommend pregnant women get around 1-2 grams per day, with a good ratio of EPA:DHA. DHA is important for baby's brain development, and EPA is important for reducing inflammation. In addition to this, one study in particular looked at how fish oil during pregnancy impacts asthma development in children. This study looked at 736 pregnant Danish women. The women were randomized to receive either 2.4 g per day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived from a fish oil supplement, or a placebo, during the third trimester. 695 of the children born were then followed for five years. The children of the mothers who received fish oil had a relative reduction of 30.7% in asthma or persistent wheeze and fewer lower respiratory infections. Fish oil is one of my favourite supplements across the board, and pregnant women are no exception. In addition to reducing the risk of heart attacks, coronary artery disease, and improving mental health status, it improves neurodevelopment and reduces the risk of asthma in baby. There are some early studies that suggest fish oil may also reduce the risk of pre term birth. References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28029926/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8504498/#:~:text=Up%20until%20about%20100%20years,perpetuates%20chronic%20low%2Dgrade%20inflammation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12442909/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3046737/
2 Comments
|