Episode 62
Buteyko Breathing and Asthma

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Research shows 6-30% of asthma sufferers use breathing methods to alleviate their asthma symptoms in the UK. How can Buteyko breathing help with asthma? Catherine Cowey and I discuss a paper from the Complementary Therapies in Medicine journal about Buteyko breathing and asthma.

Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) is a method that is used in some practices to help with hyperventilation, and asthma. BBT trains people to slow their breath rate, eliminate mouth breathing (using a small strip of tape on the mouth), and use controlled breath pauses to increase CO2 levels. Russian physiologist, Konstantin Buteyko, created it in the 1950’s after experimenting with a slower breathing rate on himself and his patients. He postulated that hyperventilation and mouth breathing create hypocapnia (low CO2), which causes hundreds of ailments, including bronchospasm.

Read our review of this study over at Yoga Research and Beyond