Does Caffeine Help Asthma?

Conflicting reports have emerged over the years regarding the use of caffeine to treat asthma. Since caffeine is chemically related to some chemicals used to treat the respiratory condition, and has been known to reduce some inflammation, research has been conducted on its efficacy in asthma. Older studies have shown some doubt, but reviews of more recent studies have been more promising, especially in treating respiratory conditions brought on by exercise.

What's Asthma?

• Allergic reactions in the body cause inflammation in the lungs of asthma suffers. The swelling of the airways can make breathing difficult, necessitating the use of fast-acting inhalers during such attacks. Research has been conducted into the causes of asthma, but there is no known cure for the constricting effect it causes, although both the severity and the frequency can be moderated through some treatments.

Why Caffeine?

• Caffeine is a stimulant and an inflammation reducer; it is used in some over-the-counter pain relievers to increase efficacy. In the same manner that caffeinated beverages reduce fatigue, some researchers believe that they may reduce the stress of inflammation in the lungs to limit asthma symptoms, as well as to reduce swelling. It is also similar in structure to some chemicals commonly found in asthma treatments, such as theophylline, although that treatment has fallen out of favor because of side effects.

Doubts

• Some initial studies had cast doubt on the effects of caffeine on reducing airway swelling and other symptoms of asthma. At the University of Berne in Switzerland, researchers tested the equivalent of roughly four cups of coffee on patients who had an asthma attack simulated by the scientists. They did not find any effects of caffeine on tests commonly performed to mimic the effects of the attack, though they were testing to see if dietary caffeine would influence test results, not affect symptoms.

Support

• Six small-scale studies were reviewed by Cochrane research scientists that focused on the effects of caffeine in adult asthmatics. They found that the effects of caffeine were better than a placebo up to two hours after consumption when the patients were asked to exhale forcefully, and concluded that "modest" airway function improvements were found in the 55 patients who were part of the studies.

Recent research

• Some current research has found that caffeine can be as effective as commonly prescribed inhalers in combating asthma caused by exercise. However, the researchers at Indiana University conducted the study with a relatively small number of participants, and doses in the hundreds of milligrams were needed to accomplish the effect. Still, the scientists say it expands on past work linking caffeine and asthma, and caffeine may cause fewer side effects than inhalers or daily asthma treatments.