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@ lowcarbdoctor
2023-09-17 13:44:30While I am a fully licensed physician in Kansas, this communication does not constitute personal medical advice or establish a physician-patient relationship. See your own physician to discuss your particular diagnosis and treatment
Asthma Asthma affects tons of people. Difficulty breathing can interfere with school and work. Asthma can result in emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Severe asthma can result in death. The use of steroid inhaled medications, while commonly used, can also unfortunately cause side effects such as oral yeast infections and even early onset cataracts. The incidence of asthma is rising rapidly. This increased incidence is not related to improved detection. It would be very difficult to connect this increased asthma incidence with pollution or other environmental factors also. Asthma is often seen in poor metabolic health. Since, metabolic health disorders such as obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2 are on the rise, it is not surprising that asthma is also increasing.
Link between metabolic disease and asthma. Obesity does increase risk for asthma. Obesity increases inflammation, airway hyperreactivity, and the mechanical load of adiposity also contributes to asthma. Irrespective of obesity, metabolic syndrome increases incidence of asthma by 50%. Insulin resistance results in increased inflammation, airway remodeling, and airway hyperreactivity which are all components of asthma. Metabolic disease results in energy deficits. This can contribute to skeletal muscle weakness, including the respiratory musculature. Oxidative stress seems to have a significant role in asthma pathophysiology and lung damage. The influence of the micro biome on asthma pathogenesis is very interesting, especially considering the role of oxidative stress and inflammation.
Treatment: Inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta-2 agonists, leukotriene inhibitors, antiimmunoglobulin E antibodies
Low-carb high-fat lifestyle, metformin, exercise, and weight loss can all improve asthma severity, while improving metabolic health. Treatment of gut micro biome health with probiotics, decreased stress, adequate sleep, and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics also offers promise for improved asthma.
I hope this information helps you and your loved ones!
Jason Williams, D.O.