Easing Bronchoconstriction in Elite Athletes

A study has demonstrated that three weeks of dietary supplementation with fish oil capsules markedly reduces the severity of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in elite athletes. The findings were published in the November 15, 2003, issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

EIB is a condition characterized by transient airway narrowing either during or after exercise that results in a reduction of post-exercise pulmonary function. In the study, 10 elite athletes with EIB and 10 elite athletes without EIB entered the study on their normal diet and then received either fish oil capsules containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) or placebo capsules filled with olive oil daily for three weeks. In subjects with EIB, the PUFA diet improved post-exercise pulmonary function, compared with normal and placebo diets.

When measured at 15 minutes after exercise, pulmonary function test results showed a 3% decrease in PUFA diet participants, compared with a 14.5% decrease on the placebo diet, and a 17.3 percent decrease on the normal diet. Pro-flammatory mediators all decreased significantly on the fish oil diet compared to the other two diets. The study involved 10 triathletes, five cross-country runners, and five track runners. Participants were equally divided between males and females. The study was conducted by Timothy D. Mickleborough, Ph.D., department of kinesiology, Indiana University (Bloomington, USA), and colleagues from the University of Wales (Cardiff).




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Indiana Univ.
Univ. of Wales