Healthy omega-3 fats may reduce the deadly pulmonary fibrosis: Study

Could the healthy fats found in nuts and fish help to slow the progression of potentially fatal lung scarring known as pulmonary fibrosis and hence postpone the need for lung transplants? The UVA pulmonary specialists looked into how long patients may wait for a transplant as well as the correlation between blood-plasma levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy fats found in foods like salmon and flaxseeds, and the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Higher omega-3 levels were found to be associated with better lung function and a longer time without receiving a transplant.

Although more investigation is required, the researchers think that their results support the need for clinical trials to determine whether treatments that raise omega-3 levels can benefit people with pulmonary fibrosis and other long-term lung conditions.

“We found that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood, which reflects several weeks of dietary intake, were linked to better lung function and longer survival,” said researcher John Kim, MD, a pulmonary and critical care expert at UVA Health and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “Our findings suggest omega-3 fatty acids might be a targetable risk factor in pulmonary fibrosis.”

Omega-3 fatty acids have already been linked to a host of health benefits. Studies have suggested, for example, that they may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke-causing blood clots, breast cancer and other cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.