CAN SUPPLEMENTS HELP COPD?

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.

Check with your doctor before taking supplements for COPD, as some may be dangerous at high doses, interfere with certain medications, or impact other health conditions. If your doctor recommends any for you, buy products that haveUSP,NSF, or ConsumerLab Approved on the label to ensure they have undergone third-party testing for quality and purity.

Here are five potentially beneficial supplements for those with COPD.

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

You can also boost your intake by taking an omega-3 supplement, but check with your physician first, advises Jackson.

While people with COPD are encouraged to eat healthy, such as the Mediterranean diet, omega-3 supplements arent a specifically recommended way to manage the disease, saysMark Dransfield, MD, medical director at the University of Alabamas Lung Health Center in Birmingham, Alabama, and chair of the COPD Foundation's Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee.

More randomized clinical trials are necessary to further the existing research, he says. Although there is data showing associations between omega-3 fatty acids and better COPD outcomes, including improved quality of life and lower exacerbation risk, there is no evidence that proves a cause-and-effect relationship, he explains.

The Bottom Line

2. Vitamins A, C, and E

However, people with COPD can feel full quickly, making it difficult to eat sometimes, Jackson says. Supplements may help in cases like this, but first talk with your doctor to check for potential allergies and interactions with medication.

The Bottom Line

Vitamins A, C, and E are nutritional powerhouses that may help with COPD prevention and symptom management. Overall, these nutrients are better to get within the diet and not from supplements unless an actual deficiency has been identified, says Krista Mielnik, RD, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition in Cleveland, where she works with patients with COPD. Mielnik notes there are mixed results in trials for these vitamins, and more research is needed, but adds that if you are having trouble eating, your doctor can check for deficiencies that may benefit from a supplement.

3. Calcium

Calcium is an essential nutrient to minimize bone loss in the setting of frequent steroid use for COPD, Mielnik says. Good food sources of calcium are almonds, tofu, edamame, white beans, dairy products (like cheese, milk, and yogurt), leafy greens, and fortified plant-based milks, she notes.

The Bottom Line

Long-term steroid use has been linked to lower levels of calcium in the body, leaving COPD patients at an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures, Dransfield says. Because of that, it is very reasonable to measure bone density in patients with COPD and to consider supplemental calcium, he says. COPD patients on steroid therapy should talk to their doctor about getting enough calcium every day, whether through diet or a supplement, Mielnik says.

4. Vitamin D

A vitamin D deficiency may not have noticeable symptoms, notes Dransfield, so its important to ask your doctor about getting a blood test to check your levels.

Jackson says your body needs adequate vitamin D to properly absorb calcium, so if you have a calcium deficiency, you may also need to increase your vitamin D intake.

The Bottom Line

Current guidelines dont recommend vitamin D supplements as part of routine treatment, notes Dransfield. However, vitamin D deficiency is a concern for COPD patients, with a lack of the vitamin being tied to worse outcomes. Talk to your doctor about testing your vitamin D levels, and if you have a deficiency, ask if an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement is right for you, Dransfield says.

5. Turmeric

The Bottom Line

The Takeaway

• Limited research suggests potential links between some vitamins and dietary supplements and slowing COPDs progression and easing its symptoms however, current COPD treatment guidelines dont generally recommend supplements in treatment plans.
• Nutrients such as omega-3s, calcium, and vitamins A, C, D, and E are found in many foods and may support people with COPD, especially for those who have nutritional deficiencies and certain high-risk patients.
• Ask your doctor if you have nutritional deficiencies and if supplementation is appropriate for you, considering that many supplements interact with drugs, including pain relievers, chemotherapy treatments, blood thinners, and immunosuppressive drugs.
• Always check with your healthcare team before you add any vitamin or dietary supplement to your COPD management plan, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have other chronic conditions.

Additional reporting by Julia Califano.