COPD is a group of serious lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Its epidemiology has changed over the years and the key changes are a rising mortality rate and a greater incidence among women. COPD is typically considered a disease due to cigarette smoking, however it can also occur in non smokers. Worldwide, up to 10 percent of adults aged 40 and older have lung impairment consistent with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As expected, this lung condition is more common in smokers, males, older adults, and persons living in urban areas.
Lower respiratory illness in childhood is associated with later development of asthma and wheezing that can persist into adulthood, and may be a risk factor for adult chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
COPD natural treatment,
alternatives to medication
Vitamins C, D, and natural E complex could be of benefit
Omega- 3 fatty acids can be anti-inflammatory agents. Japanese researchers at Kagoshima University Hospital found that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids appeared to improve patients' breathing difficulties -- possibly by countering the airway inflammation seen in those with COPD. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are found largely in oily fish, and to a lesser extent in flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil. Half of the 64 patients drank a liquid supplement rich in omega-3 fats each day; the other half drank a supplement containing omega-6 fats, another type of polyunsaturated fat found in many foods, including vegetable oils and meat. After two years, patients in the omega-3 supplement group showed an overall improvement on tests that measured their breathing during a short bout of exercise.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2015. Fish intake and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2 large US cohorts. Higher fish intake is associated with a lower risk for COPD.
potent antioxidant, may be helpful for lung tissue. The dosage could be 100 to
300 mg most days of the week.
Glutamine is an amino acid that may help some individuals.
BCAA supplements could be helpful for protein synthesis. You can purchase BCAA supplements over the counter.
Creatine may help with muscle strength and endurance.
Antioxidants and COPD reduction and
Dr. Andy H. Lee of the Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia, studied 278 COPD patients (244 men and 34 women) between the ages of 50 and 75 years who were diagnosed within the past 4 years. They also recruited 340 people (272 men and 68 women) without the disease. Control subjects consumed more soy per day (about 60 grams) than patients with COPD (about 45 grams). Dr. Andy H. Lee says the risk was significantly reduced among those who ate more soy. Similar decreases in the risk were observed with higher intakes of tofu and bean sprouts. The more soy people consumed, the fewer breathing problems they had, particularly breathlessness. Respiratory Research, 2009.
Nitrates makes COPD worse
Those who smoke increase their risk of developing COPD, emphysema and chronic bronchitis if they eat lots of cured meat. Cured meats such as sausage, ham, bologna, bacon and hot dogs contain high levels of nitrites, which are added to prevent rancidity and bacterial growth and enhance a meat's pink color. And just like cigarette smoking and air pollution, nitrites generate molecules known as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that have been linked to COPD. American Journal of Epidemiology, December 15, 2007.
Skeletal muscle wasting and dysfunction are strong independent predictors of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Creatine nutritional supplementation produces increased muscle mass and exercise performance in health. A controlled study was performed to look for similar effects in 38 patients with COPD. Creatine supplementation led to increases in fat-free mass, peripheral muscle strength and endurance, health status, but not exercise capacity. Creatine may constitute a new ergogenic treatment in COPD. Creatine supplementation during pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax. 2005.
Multidiscip Respir Med. 2013. Effects of nutraceutical diet integration, with coenzyme Q10 (Q-Termulticompound) and creatine, on dyspnea, exercise tolerance, and quality of life in COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure. Aim of this study is to verify whether a dietary supplementation with creatine and coenzyme Q10, important mitochondrial function factors, is able to influence this mechanism leading to a dyspnea reduction and improving exercise tolerance and quality of life. 55 COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure (in long term O2 therapy), in stable phase of the disease and without severe comorbidities were assigned (double-blind, randomized) to: group A (30 patients) with daily dietary supplementation with Creatine 340 mg + 320 mg Coenzyme Q-Ter (Eufortyn(R), Scharper Therapeutics Srl) for 2 months whereas Group B (25 patients) received placebo. All patients continued the same diet, rehabilitation and therapy during the study. The nutraceutical diet integration with Q-Ter and creatine, in COPD patients with CRF in O2TLT induced an increasing lean body mass and exercise tolerance, reducing dyspnea, quality of life and exacerbations. These results provide a first demonstration that acting on protein synthesis and muscular efficiency can significantly modify the systemic consequences of the disease.
Ginseng improves pulmonary functions and exercise capacity in patients with COPD.
COPD and Glutamine, Glutamate
Omega-3 helpful in COPD
I have COPD
breathing problem and have been taking flaxseed for the last
2 weeks and it may all be in my mind but I swear that my breathing has greatly
improved. Can flaxseed be of benefit to COPD patients? I keep very active but
generally run out of breath easily. This week I have been able to do so many
things without being completely out of breath. The only thing I am doing
differently is putting 1 tablespoon of ground flaxeed in my oatmeal. Have
studies ever been made on the benefit of flaxseed on lung disease patients?
We have not seen specific studies with flaxseed and COPD, but it could be possible since flaxseed has some anti-inflammatory properties.
Additional dietary supplements and questions
Have you heard of anybody prescribing pregnenolone for COPD?
No we have not. We would be quite cautious in using pregnenolone since most people get this lung condition from smoking, and smoking damages heart tissue which makes it prone to palpitations. Pregnenolone can aggravate heart rhythm problems.
I am 55 and a few years ago I was diagnosed
with COPD. I recently read an article about the benefits of inhaled Glutathione.
Is this inhaled glutathione effective? I currently use Qvar and Combivent.
I am not familiar in any great detail about the benefits and risks of inhaled glutathione and whether it interacts with Qvar and Combivent.
I have a friend who recently was diagnosed with
COPD and I'm wondering if there is a good supplement that supports lung health.
I've run across White Tiger Return and wondered if that was the best or if there
is something else. White Tiger Return active ingredients being: Inula helenium -
elecampane root- certified organic, Thymus vulgaris - thyme herb, Oreganum
species - oregano herb, Codonopsis pilosula - dang shen root, Trigonella foenum
- hu lu ba - fenugreek seed, Althaea officinalis - marshmallow root, Salvia
officinalis - sage herb, Verbascum thapsis-mullein herb, Schisandra chinensis -
wu wei zi fruit, Citrus reticulata - chen pi - tangerine peel, Lactuca virosa -
wild lettuce herb, Foeniculum vulgare - xiao hu xiang - fennel Seed, Grindelia
species herb Glycyrrhiza uralensis - gan cao - chinese licorice prepared root
Olea europaea – olive leaf herb.
We are not familiar with this product.
COPD and particle Inhalation
People who burn wood or other "biofuels" for heat or cooking have a higher risk of emphysema and related lung conditions. Biomass refers to biological materials that can be burned for energy, including wood, crops and animal dung. They are major sources of energy in the developing world, and are thought to be used for cooking and heating in half of homes worldwide. Chest, 2010.
People who spend years living near high-traffic roadways
may be more likely to develop emphysema and related lung problems than those who
live in less-traveled areas. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care Medicine, 2010.
What are the symptoms of COPD?
Cough is usually the first symptom to develop. It is productive with phlegm (sputum). It tends to come and go at first, and then gradually becomes more persistent (chronic). Breathlessness ('short of breath') and wheeze may occur only when you exert yourself at first (for example, when you climb stairs). These symptoms tend to become gradually worse over the years if you continue to smoke. The damaged airways make a lot more mucus than normal. This forms sputum (phlegm). Wheezing with cough and breathlessness may become worse than usual if you have a chest infection. Sputum usually turns yellow or green during a chest infection.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- a serious disease that impairs breathing -- is the third leading cause of death in the United States. But an influential government panel in 2015 says there's as yet no evidence to support screening for COPD in adults with no symptoms.
Steroids do improve several outcomes during an acute COPD exacerbation, and a 10- to 14-day course seems appropriate, but not long term use. Adding an inhaled steroid to a so-called "long-acting beta-2 agonist" may do more harm than good. The benefit of the two-drug approach is limited, and furthermore, it's accompanied by substantial risks of pneumonia and other infection. Chest, 2009.
Close to half of U.S. adults over 40 who have trouble breathing due to asthma or COPD still continue to smoke.
COPD and steroid inhaler treatment
The drug acetazolamide has been used for decades to help COPD patients breathe when they develop a dangerous condition called metabolic alkalosis. However there's no proof that the drug is actually effective in such cases.
Cough and mucus
Smoking damages lung of women more