Maternal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may decrease the risk of food allergy and IgE-associated eczema during the first year of life in infants with a family history of allergic disease.

, Allergic disease in infants up to 2 yr of age in relation to plasma omega-3 fatty acids and maternal fish oil supplementation inpregnancy and lactation, 2011, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, (22) Pediatr Allergy Immunol. AbstractBackground: We have previously reported a protective effect of maternal omega-3 long chain

ABSTRACT:The incidence of allergic diseases has increased, and a relation between allergy and dietary fatty acids has been proposed. Modulation of the maternal immune function during pregnancy may have an impact on future clinical outcomes in the child. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of omega ()-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) supplementation during pregnancy on the plasma fatty acid composition in relation to the maternal immune function. Pregnant women with allergic disease in their immediate family were supplemented daily with 2.7 g -3 LCPUFA (n ϭ 70) or 2.8 g soybean oil as placebo (n ϭ 75) from the 25th gestational week. The proportions of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in plasma/serum phospholipids increased in the -3-supplemented group, whereas arachidonic acid decreased during intervention. Lipopolysaccharide-induced prostaglandin E 2 secretion from whole blood culture supernatants (n ϭ 59) decreased in a majority of the -3-supplemented mothers (18 of 28, p ϭ 0.002). The decreased prostaglandin E 2 production was more pronounced among nonatopic than atopic mothers. The lipopolysaccharideinduced cytokine and chemokine secretion was not affected.

Omega-3 milk fatty acids were higher in women who received omega-3 supplements than the placebo group (p < 0.01). Higher proportions of milk eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and a lower arachidonic/eicosapentaenoic acid ratio were associated with an absence of IgE-associated disease in the infants. None of the children developed IgE-associated atopic eczema above a level of 0.83 mol% eicosapentaenoic acid in colostrum. [Correction added on 7 July 2016, after online publication: In the preceding sentence, the correct word should be "above" instead of "below" and this has been amended in this current version.] CONCLUSION: High omega-3 LCPUFA milk levels in mothers who received omega-3 LCPUFA supplements were related to fewer allergies in their children.

The LA/LNA ratio increased (p < 0.001) in cord serum samples collected between 1985 and 2005, and no correlations between fatty acids and total IgE were found.