Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation may decrease the risk of infant allergy

Abstract

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.

Th1 and Th2 Chemokines, Vaccine-Induced Immunity, and Allergic Disease in Infants After Maternal ω-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy and Lactation

“…In the group of infants whose mothers had no history of allergic disease, low CCL17/CXCL11 ratios were associated both with -3 fatty acid supplementation and decreased incidence of eczema or food reactions during the first year of life. This is consistent with the more pronounced effect in nonallergic than allergic mothers of -3 supplementation on the prevention of allergy in the infants (12) and decreasing maternal PGE2 synthesis in pregnancy (13). Previously, atopy has been associated with a disturbed fatty acid metabolism in maternal blood (30) and low -3 LCPUFA in mature breast milk (31).…”

“…The mothers started the intake of capsules containing the -3 LCPUFAs, EPA (1.6 g/d) and DHA (1.1 g/d), or placebo produced by Pharma Nord, Vejle, Denmark, in the 25th wk of gestation and continued through the first 3-4 mo of breastfeeding. Twenty-five mothers did not complete at least 15 wk of supplementation and they were excluded (12).…”

“…Through these mechanisms, the -3 LCPUFAs might be able to accelerate the postnatal maturation of the Th2-deviated immune system, toward a more balanced immunity (21). Interestingly, the preventive effect of -3 supplementation on the development of allergy in infants and decreasing PGE2 synthesis in mothers during the last trimester of pregnancy were both more pronounced if the mother was not allergic (12,13). This is in line with previous studies reporting different biological effects of dietary -3 LCPUFA in different individuals or populations (22).…”

“…We have previously found a decreased period prevalence of IgE-associated disease (i.e. eczema and food allergy, with concomitant allergic sensitization) up to 1 y of age after maternal -3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation during the last trimester of pregnancy and 3-4 mo of lactation (12). We also reported that low maternal arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4 -6)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 -3) ratios were associated with decreased maternal secretion of AA-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a factor that is active in the allergic inflammation (13).…”

Alergia a la leche y al huevo: diagnóstico, manejo e implicaciones en América Latina

“…Si bien existen resultados que demuestran los beneficios de estas dietas, especialmente en la prevención y en el manejo de procesos inflamatorios, e incluso en pacientes con dermatitis atópica y sensibilización a alimentos (78,79), al igual que para las otras terapias emergentes mencionadas se requieren estudios controlados que permitan cuantificar el aporte de estas alternativas frente a las ya existentes para el manejo de las alergias alimentarias.…”