A recent study investigated the relationship between diet-derived antioxidants and asthma using both observational and genetic approaches. Analyzing data from the 2003-2018 NHANES cohort, researchers found that individuals with asthma were more likely to be younger women, smokers, and have higher BMI, lower income, and lower educational attainment. Dietary intake of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and a composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) were all negatively associated with asthma risk. The relationship was nonlinear, suggesting that moderate levels of these nutrients may offer the greatest benefit; however, when using Mendelian randomization to explore potential causal links between lifelong antioxidant levels and asthma risk, no evidence of a causal relationship was found. This suggests that while higher antioxidant intake is associated with reduced asthma risk in observational data, this may not reflect a direct biological effect. The findings highlight the potential importance of dietary patterns in asthma prevention, though further research is needed to clarify mechanisms and causality.
Reference: Chen L, Chen C, Lin M, et al. Association between diet-derived antioxidants and asthma: Insights from the NHANES survey 2003-2018 and Mendelian randomization analysis. Heart Lung. 2025 Jan-Feb;69:71-77. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2024.09.014. Epub 2024 Oct 1. PMID: 39357290.
