Antioxidants and Lower Asthma Risk for Kids Later in Life

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 10 May 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Based on data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a study from researchers at Cornell University suggests children who are exposed to increased doses of serum antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and selenium, have a lower risk of developing asthma later in life.

The study, published in the February 2004 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that children ages four to 16 who increased their intake of beta-carotene had a 10% reduction in asthma risk and those who took increased doses of selenium were 20% less likely to develop asthma.

For children exposed to second-hand smoke, the decreased prevalence of asthma for increased beta-carotene and selenium was 40% and 50%, respectively. Higher doses of vitamin C showed similar results as those for increased beta-carotene intake.

REFERENCE LINKS:
For an abstract of the study, go to
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/3/393

Source of this information: http://www.physweekly.com/article.asp?issueid=128&articleid=1332

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