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Published on: November 4, 2010
Vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in athletes with exercise-induced
Oliver J Price1, James H Hull, Glyn Howatson
1Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne, UK.
Objective:
The aim of this pilot study was to determine the combined effect of vitamin D and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation on airway function and inflammation in recreational athletes with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB).
Methods:
Ten recreational athletes with EIB participated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial over six consecutive weeks. All subjects attended the laboratory on three occasions. Each visit was separated by a period of 3 weeks: visit 1 (usual diet), visit 2 (placebo) and visit 3 (SMARTFISH® NutriFriend 2000; 30 µg vitamin D3-3000 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, 3000 mg docosahexaenoic acid) consumed once daily for a period of 3 weeks. Venous blood was collected at the beginning of each trial to determine vitamin D status. Spirometry was performed pre- and post-eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea (EVH).
Results:
The Maximum fall in FEV1 (ΔFEV1max) post-EVH was not different between visits (usual diet: -15.9 ± 3.6%, placebo: -16.1 ± 6.1%, vitamin D + omega-3 PUFA: -17.8 ± 7.2%). Serum vitamin D remained unchanged between visits.
Conclusion:
Vitamin D and omega-3 PUFA supplementation does not attenuate the reduction in lung function post-EVH. This finding should be viewed as preliminary until the results of randomised controlled trials are made available.
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