Pollution and respiratory disease: can diet or supplements help? A review

Abstract

Pollution is known to cause and exacerbate a number of chronic respiratory diseases. The World Health Organisation has placed air pollution as the world’s largest environmental health risk factor. There has been recent publicity about the role for diet and anti-oxidants in mitigating the effects of pollution, and this review assesses the evidence for alterations in diet, including vitamin supplementation in abrogating the effects of pollution on asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases. We found evidence to suggest that carotenoids, vitamin D and vitamin E help protect against pollution damage which can trigger asthma, COPD and lung cancer initiation. Vitamin C, curcumin, choline and omega-3 fatty acids may also play a role. The Mediterranean diet appears to be of benefit in patients with airways disease and there appears to be a beneficial effect in smokers however there is no direct evidence regarding protecting against air pollution. More studies investigating the effects of nutrition on rapidly rising air pollution are urgently required. However it is very difficult to design such studies due to the confounding factors of diet, obesity, co-morbid illness, medication and environmental exposure.

The inflammatory potential of diet impacts the association between air pollution and childhood asthma

“…These are difficult to design due to the confounding factors of diet, obesity, comorbid illness, medication, and environmental exposure. 20 The idea that diet can help to reduce some of the effects of pollution on asthma has gained interest, and certain vitamins seem to attenuate the effects of air pollution on asthma. 8 1.22-2.48), suggesting that supplementation eliminated the risk's increase.…”

Bushfire smoke: urgent need for a national health protection strategy

“…Maintaining a healthy diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and keeping well hydrated is likely to help reduce short and long term health effects. There is suggestive evidence that antioxidant and fish oil supplementation and dietary intake may have a protective effect against air pollution exposure; however, more research is needed to support this.…”

The effect of particulate matter reduction by indoor air filter use on respiratory symptoms and lung function: A systemic review and meta-analysis

“…However, the observation period of the studies was just a few weeks and none of the studies showed the effect on respiratory outcomes such as lung function and symptom. In one review article, omega-3 oil was shown to have an anti-inflammation effect and reduced asthma symptoms (39) However, these studies were observational study and no other studies of vitamin D or omega-3 oil as interventions are available. Therefore, we realized after brief literature search that a tool other than air filter could not be analyzed as an intervention for PM.…”