| During 6 randomised controlled trials of the Buteyko | | | | indeed breathe at rest about 2-2.5 times more air |
| method, in average, in 3-6 months, those asthmatics | | | | than the norm. Did asthmatics change or normalize |
| practicing the Buteyko method reduced their use of | | | | their breathing during these randomised controlled |
| beta 2-agonists (relievers or bronchodilators) by | | | | trials of the Buteyko method? During the most |
| 70-90% and steroid use by about 50%. Their | | | | successful trial (Bowler et al, 1998), in 3 months, use |
| symptoms' score was improved by over 50%. | | | | of relievers (bronchodilators) was reduced by 96% |
| However, there were no changes in bronchial | | | | and preventers (inhaled steroids) by 49%. |
| responsiveness or lung function results in these | | | | Respiratory minute volume decreased from 14 L/min |
| patients with asthma. There were certain important | | | | to 9.6 L/min, but the medical norm is only 6 L/min, |
| methodological details, which I am going to consider | | | | while Dr. Buteyko's norm is 4 L/min at rest for a |
| here. | | | | 70-kg man. Hence, during their best shot, the |
| Dr. K. Buteyko made the following claims: | | | | participated asthmatics got only about a half way |
| 1. Sick people, asthmatics asthmatics included, | | | | towards the norm. Hence, there were a very few |
| breathe more air than the tiny medical norm. | | | | asthmatics, if any, who normalized their breath during |
| Overbreathing reduces body oxygenation and | | | | these trials. |
| intensity the drive to breathe even more. | | | | The assumption of medical doctors, who conducted |
| 2. If asthmatics and others normalize their breathing | | | | these randomised controlled trials, was that a |
| pattern (normal breathing 24/7), then they would not | | | | Buteyko practitioner taught the Buteyko method and |
| require medication and would not experience | | | | a controlled group learned the method. This is easy |
| symptoms | | | | to see from the titles which usually say about a "trial |
| 3. The Buteyko Table of Health Zones links | | | | of the Buteyko method". How could they test the |
| respiratory parameters of sick people (with any | | | | method, if nobody learned it? |
| chronic disease) with their health state. This table | | | | From a practical view, since I taught the Buteyko |
| suggests parameters that reflect normal breathing (8 | | | | method to hundreds of people, the main difficulty |
| breaths/min for breathing frequency at rest, 6.5% | | | | during these randomised controlled trials was |
| for alveolar CO2 content, 60 s for stress-free breath | | | | following. The participants were mainly limited to |
| holding time after usual exhalation, etc.). These | | | | practicing breathing exercises (e.g., 40-70 min per |
| parameters, according to Dr. Buteyko, correspond to | | | | day). They could not use the powerful arsenal of |
| normal health and absence of asthma and many | | | | lifestyle changing tools of the Buteyko method. |
| other diseases since normal breathing improves body | | | | Breathing normalization requires 24/7 control of |
| oxygenation. | | | | breathing including: |
| 4. A person has learned the Buteyko method, if their | | | | - nasal breathing all the time (hence, it is necessary to |
| breathing parameters are normal. | | | | tape one's mouth if it is usually dry in the morning; |
| Dr. Buteyko never claimed that a certain practitioner | | | | and one will never solve their problems with asthma, |
| can achieve this or this result in relation to a group of | | | | if mouth breathing takes place every night) |
| asthmatics in 3 or 6 months. Let us apply these | | | | - prevention of sleeping on one's back (we breathe |
| Buteyko's claims to these randomised controlled trials | | | | almost twice more air, when we sleep on our backs |
| and other medical research studies. | | | | at night) |
| First of all, thousands of medical studies have proven | | | | - physical exercise (at least 2 hours daily with strictly |
| that over-breathing or hyperventilation REDUCES | | | | nasal breathing, in and out, otherwise it is almost |
| oxygen content in body cells. Do asthmatics breathe | | | | useless) |
| much more air than the medical norm? A typical | | | | - and many other lifestyle-related details so that to |
| minute volume for an average asthmatic is about | | | | normalize one's unconscious breathing back to the |
| 12-15 L/min (5 studies are available on my website), | | | | medical norm. |
| while the norm is only 6 L/min. Hence, asthmatics | | | | |