Review article

Significance of nutrition in respiratory allergic diseases: a review of scientific knowledge

IVANA SABOLIĆ PIPINIĆ ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Unit for Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
JELENA MACAN ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Unit for Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
BOŽICA KANCELJAK-MACAN ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Unit for Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

A significant increase in the occurrence of allergic respiratory diseases has been perceived in the world in the last several decades. One of the presumed causes of this phenomenon is the contemporary altered dietary pattern. Many studies investigated the possible inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects of various nutrients in the pathophysiology of respiratory allergies. Recent epidemiological studies reported an association between a high intake
of w-6 and a low intake of w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-s) with the elevated prevalence of respiratory allergies. w-6 PUFA-s are precursors of strong inflammatory mediators which promote allergic inflammation, whereas metabolites of w-3 PUFA-s are weak inflammatory mediators. However clinical trials of w-3 supplementation failed to show substantial beneficial results. A high dietary intake of salt could have a bronchoconstrictive
effect in the pathogenesis of asthma, whereas magnesium is considered to act bronchodilatatively, yet most research in asthmatic patients has not proven these proposed impacts. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, E, A, flavonoides, isoflavones and some trace elements (selenium, zinc, manganese, copper) are relevant in diminishing oxidative stress. Despite epidemiological and some clinical evidence of a protective antioxidant effect against the development of respiratory allergies, interventional studies mainly have
not confirmed significant benefit of antioxidant supplementation therapy. Due to a large amount of controversial scientific evidence regarding the possibility of preventing and treating respiratory allergies with a modified diet, there is a need for further research in this field.

Keywords

antioxidants; flavonoids; inflammatory mediators; polyunsaturatedfatty acids; trace elements; vitamins

Hrčak ID:

35993

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/35993

Publication date:

31.3.2009.

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