Fish oil supplements, a darling of the alternative health world, will be put through the scientific rigors for a new research project.

Researchers want to assess the impact of doses of fish oil on a range of lung conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an inflammatory disease of the lungs.

As winter’s cold and wet weather continue to exacerbate some respiratory conditions, PhD researcher Ashley Fulton says it is a good opportunity to carry out the study.

“We know that fish oil has been beneficial combating other inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease and ulcerative colitis,” Fulton says.

“We hope that by researching the effects of fish oil in people with chronic lung disease, we might be able to offer a nutritional therapy that could be used in conjunction with current medical practices.”

Fulton and the research team are looking for volunteers who have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or chronic bronchitis to participate in the study.

Participants should be non-smokers aged between 18 and 80 years old, who are not already taking fish oil supplements.

Volunteers will be asked to visit the Repatriation General Hospital at Daw Park in Adelaide on two occasions throughout the study, and all participants will receive four months’ supply of capsules for free.

Interested parties can get involved in the important study by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..