Popular dietary supplements linked to development of asthma in children

The scientists used methods of metabolomics and experiments on mice to understand how preservatives, dyes and sweeteners affect the body. It turned out that substances such as dehydroacetic acid, benzoic acid and acesulfame are found in the blood of children with asthma much more often than in healthy peers.

At the same time, in laboratory models in animals receiving dietary supplements, an increase in the level of inflammatory cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE) was observed, as well as an increase in the number of cells associated with allergic reactions — Th2 and Th17. This suggests that supplements can disrupt the balance between immune cells and provoke allergic inflammation.

In addition, the researchers suggested that the disorders begin in the intestine. Supplements can alter the permeability of the intestinal walls and the composition of the microbiota, which causes inflammation that then spreads to the respiratory system, a mechanism known as the gut–lung axis.

Although the study was conducted on a limited sample of children from Nanjing, China, its results provide new insights into how daily consumption of processed foods may contribute to an increase in childhood asthma cases. Experts emphasize the need for further research involving more diverse groups and other types of supplements.

Some common dietary supplements are not harmless substances, but potential immune system irritants that can contribute to the development of asthma in children.