August 31, 2001 By Carol Svec
InteliHealth News Service
(InteliHealth) - According to a recent study published in the Archives of Environmental Health, moderate dosages of vitamins E and C may reduce the severity of asthma symptoms that result from air pollution. The study looked at effects of these vitamins on asthma exacerbations resulting from exposure to ozone, a major component of air pollution.
Breathing air with higher than normal levels of ozone may trigger asthma symptoms. Because ozone is an oxidant, it causes stress and damage, resulting in inflammation of the airways. Further, ozone has been shown to interact with other pollutants to cause asthma symptoms, particularly in patients sensitive to air pollution. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle tested the benefit of antioxidant supplements in counteracting asthma-related effects of ozone.
The study required participants to take specific amounts of vitamin E and vitamin C once a day at breakfast. After four weeks, all participants were tested. First, they breathed ozone-rich air, followed by inhalations of sulfur dioxide, a secondary pollutant that does not usually cause breathing problems at the levels used. Then, pulmonary function was measured. Results showed that, when exposed to both ozone and sulfur dioxide, participants taking antioxidant vitamins had less severe asthma reactions than participants taking placebo.
