(#18) New Science 411 (a must-read): The Famous 10-18% Nasal Breathing Study

We here show that arterial oxygenation is improved in healthy awake subjects during nasal breathing as compared with mouth breathing.

- Lundberg et al. (1996)

It’s Friday, so a new Science 411 is now available. It’s the study behind the “nose breathing increases oxygenation” line you see everywhere.

It’s a must-read/listen if you’re a breathing nerd.

Here are the take-home messages:

  • Nasal breathing increased tissue oxygenation by ~10% compared to mouth breathing in 6 of 8 healthy people.

  • Adding nasal air to a ventilator increased arterial oxygenation by ~18% in 6 of 6 mechanically ventilated people.

Read or listen to the new 411 to get all the details of this fascinating study. Enjoy!