Избыток сахара за две недели усугубляет воспаление у астматиков, показывают бразильские ученые

Consuming large amounts of sugar may significantly worsen inflammation in people who already have asthma in a relatively short period of time, according to a new study by Brazilian scientists. The research was published in the journal Nutrients. The researchers found that adverse changes appeared just two weeks after sugar intake was increased – before significant weight gain could become a major contributing factor. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that affects around 300 million people worldwide. During an asthma attack, the airways become swollen and narrowed, while the body may also produce more mucus, making it difficult to breathe. To investigate the effects of sugar, scientists from Brazilian universities used mice with experimentally induced allergic asthma. In addition to their regular diet, the animals had unlimited access to sweetened condensed milk, which is very high in sugar. After just two weeks, mice with pre-existing allergic inflammation developed a significantly stronger inflammatory response. Their airways contained more mucus and higher numbers of inflammatory cells. The researchers believe the process may begin outside the lungs. In mice consuming large amounts of sugar, the fatty tissue surrounding the internal organs – known as visceral fat – became inflamed and began releasing higher levels of substances associated with inflammation. The scientists also found evidence of the involvement of macrophages – immune system cells that can promote inflammation. According to the researchers, a specific type of inflammatory macrophage may migrate from abdominal fat tissue to the lungs, intensifying the existing allergic response. Importantly, sugar alone did not cause asthma in healthy mice. Their lungs remained free of signs of the disease, even though their fatty tissue became inflamed. This suggests that high sugar intake may aggravate existing inflammation rather than directly causing asthma. The study was coordinated by Caroline Marcantonio Ferreira of the Federal University of ABC, with the research beginning while she was at the Federal University of São Paulo. The scientists stress that the findings do not yet prove that the same mechanism occurs in humans. Human studies are needed to determine whether a similar link exists in children and adults with asthma. According to the researchers, the findings are important because they point to a possible connection between diet, fatty tissue, the immune system and inflammation in the lungs. | BGNES