Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may protect the heart from air pollution

Air Beware

You can eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, drink filtered water, and avoid smoking and excessive drinking, but there will still be one health factor in your life over which you have very little control: the air you breathe.

If you live in Wyoming or Vermont, congratulations – you’re breathing some fairly pristine air. But for those of us who live in or around urban areas or manufacturing centers, air pollutants in the form of fine particles pose a serious challenge to heart health.

The big G

A fine particle measures PM 2.5 – particulate matter equal to or less than 2.5 microns in diameter. About 30 fine particles, placed side-by-side, would equal the width of a human hair. But when these minute specks mount up, they’re potentially deadly – especially for the elderly.

But don’t fear your next breath, because you may already be taking a supplement that can protect you from the inflammation and oxidative stress caused by fine particles.

An international team from Mexico, Spain, and the U.S., recently reported on a study that tested the effects of fish oil and soy oil on the antioxidant activity that plays a key role in regulating dangerous cardiac fluctuations linked to fine particle exposure.

STUDY PROFILE

• Researchers recruited more than 50 elderly nursing home residents in Mexico City
• Residents of the home spend nearly all their time in an environment where they’re exposed to high levels of fine particles
• During a four-month intervention, half the subjects received a daily fish oil supplement and half received a soy oil supplement
• Blood samples were taken throughout the study period
• Oxidative damage of blood cells was significantly diminished in the fish oil group compared to subjects in the soy oil group

Results also showed that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil increased activity of an antioxidant enzyme, and increased blood levels of glutathione – an important antioxidant that’s been shown to bind and eliminate toxins. Glutathione may also protect other antioxidants, prolonging and enhancing their effectiveness.

Down home

In the e-Alert “On the Air” (2/14/07), I told you about a four-year study that compared EPA monitoring of daily air quality to hospital admissions for more than 11 million Medicare patients. Results showed a marked increase of admissions prompted by cardiovascular and respiratory problems on days when fine particle levels were elevated. Heart failure was the primary cause of these admissions.

In other words, the elderly and other people at higher risk of respiratory problems should pay close attention to those air quality alerts that are sometimes included with your local weather report.

If you don’t want to wait for the next local news broadcast, you can visit a website called Air Now (airnow.gov), which lists current air quality index (AQI) information for towns and cities throughout the U.S. If the air where you live is bad today, Air Now can fill you in on the specific level of risk.

Source:
“The Effect of Supplementation with Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Markers of Oxidative Stress in Elderly Exposed to PM 2.5” Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 116, No. 9, September 2008, ehponline.org