Asthma - Your Health is Our Business.

Although asthma can occur in people of any age, even in infants, most children with the illness develop it by about the age of 5. Unrecognised food allergy is a contributing factor in at least 75% of childhood asthmatics and asthma seems to be more common in boys than in girls in early childhood.

To some extent, asthma seems to run in families. Children with siblings or parents who have asthma are more likely to develop the illness themselves. If both parents have asthma, the risk is greater and, for reasons we don’t yet fully understand, the risk appears to be greater if the mother has asthma than if the father does.

This lung disease always needs conventional medical management, but several supplements can help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

Asthma is characterized by swelling and tightening of the airways of the lung due to tension or spasm of the muscles in the bronchial walls. This restricts airflow and makes it hard to breathe, leading to the release of histamine that, in turn, increases inflammation and swelling and causes the respiratory tract to become congested with thick sputum.

The most obvious factors that can provoke asthma attacks are allergic reactions to allergens such as pet hair, food, dust, dust mites, pollen, vehicle exhaust fumes and many other environmental pollutants. Less obvious are the internal factors, which include stress, anxiety, exercise, infections of the respiratory tract and even a change in temperature.

Useful Supplements:

Magnesium levels are frequently low in asthmatics.Magnesium may prevent spasms of the bronchial passages and so help prevent asthma attacks. Although the effect of oral magnesium has not been well studied, many doctors recommend magnesium supplements for their asthma patients

Vitamin B6 is also often found to be at low levels in asthma sufferers, but it is unclear whether this is due to the asthma itself or certain anti-histamine drugs that deplete B6 in the body. In one study of asthmatic children, 200mg per day of vitamin B6 led to a reduction of wheezing and other symptoms and also led to their need for medication to be reduced.

Fish oils may help to protect against asthma as they are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.

Vitamin C is the major anti-oxidant present in the lining of the respiratory system and appears to combat inhaled oxidants almost immediately. It may also help prevent the release of histamine and so halt the development of an attack. Taking a vitamin C supplement before strenuous exercise may prevent an exercise-induced asthma attack. .
A buffered form of vitamin C seems to be the most effective and tests show that 500mg twice a day is the optimum dosage.

Because asthma always requires medical management, you should discuss any supplement program with your doctor before you embark on it.

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"The Plain English Guide To Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements"

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