“Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books.” - Bell Hooks
This week, I want to look at a few fascinating passages on overbreathing from “Breath: The New Science of A Lost Art.”
Let’s start with James Nestor’s insight into tissue hypoxia (my bold for emphasis):
“In this, chronic overbreathing will not create ‘hypoxia’ in tissues; this is a fact that many Buteyko adherents consistently get wrong. The real damage from overbreathing comes from the constant energy the body has to expend to run more cells anaerobically and to constantly buffer for carbon dioxide deficiencies.”
So James is saying that tissue hypoxia itself is not the problem with overbreathing. The damage occurs because of the body’s response to prevent tissue hypoxia from happening.
Overbreathing and Cell Metabolism
Aerobic = “With Oxygen”
Anaerobic = “Without Oxygen”
This damage occurs partially because of sustained anaerobic metabolism. We have all probably heard of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Slow and steady is typically aerobic, fast and intense is usually anaerobic. We don’t have to think about it. When we push ourselves, our oxygen supply can’t keep up, and our body naturally switches to anaerobic metabolism.
This anaerobic switch creates a more acidic local environment, which will help release oxygen from the hemoglobin and help restore aerobic energy production.
But, with chronic overbreathing, this aerobic balance cannot be achieved. So your cells are running as if you’re always doing high-intensity training…not the most efficient way to spend your day.
But that’s not even the worst part of overbreathing.
Restoring pH Balance Causes the Real Damage
The body is always trying to find balance, and this is especially true for pH. Blood pH is kept in a tight range (around 7.4) to allow the body to function correctly.
When we chronically overbreathe, we offload too much carbon dioxide, which increases pH. The body compensates through a process called “buffering,” where the kidneys begin releasing bicarbonate into the urine to restore pH balance. The real damage comes from what bicarbonate takes with it:
“This occurs because as bicarbonate leaves the body, it takes magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and more with it. Without healthy stores of these minerals, nothing works right: nerves malfunction, smooth muscles spasm, and cells can’t efficiently create energy.” - James Nestor
Overbreathing Weakens Our Bones
All of which leads us to how overbreathing can contribute osteoporosis:
“Constant buffering also weakens the bones, which try to compensate by dissolving their mineral stores back into the bloodstream. (Yes, it’s possible to overbreathe yourself into osteoporosis and increased risk of bone fractures.)” - James Nestor
Alright, let’s break these steps down to see how this happens:
Overbreathing offloads too much carbon dioxide, preventing adequate oxygen delivery to the cells.
The cells compensate with chronic anaerobic metabolism.
The kidneys compensate by excreting bicarbonate into the urine to balance pH.
The excretion of bicarbonate “steals” important minerals from the blood.
The bones then compensate by dissolving minerals back into the blood, which weakens them.
It is simultaneously amazing and scary what our bodies are capable of.
There is Always Good News
Although this negative feedback loop is alarming, there is a way to prevent or reverse it: Stop overbreathing.
And the best way to do that? Breathe through your nose, breathe slowly, and breathe slightly less than you think you need.
In good breath,
Nick