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Minute Ventilation (Minute Volume) in Health and Disease

The pulmonary systemMinute ventilation (or pulmonary ventilation, or respiratory minute volume, or flow of air) is the volume of air that can be inhaled (inhaled minute volume) or exhaled during one minute.

The calculation of minute ventilation is simple: MV=TV*Rf or minute volume is equal to tidal volume (amount of air for one breath, ml) multiplied by the respiratory frequency (number of breaths per minute).

This table shows normal minute ventilation (liters of air per minute) in healthy subjects at rest (14 studies).

Table. Normal minute ventilation (healthy subjects only)

*Each row corresponds to a research paper or medical science article
Condition Minute ventilation N. of subjects References
Normal breathing 6 l/min - Medical textbooks
Healthy subjects 7.7 ± 0.3 l/min 19 Douglas et al, 1982
Healthy males 8.4 ± 1.3 l/min 10 Burki, 1984
Healthy males 6.3 l/min 10 Smits et al, 1987
Healthy males 6.1±1.4 l/min 6 Fuller et al, 1987
Healthy subjects 6.1± 0.9 l/min 9 Tanaka et al, 1988
Healthy students 7.0 ± 1.0 l/min 10 Turley et al, 1993
Healthy subjects 6.6 ± 0.6 l/min 10 Bengtsson et al, 1994
Healthy subjects 7.0±1.2 l/min 12 Sherman et al, 1996
Healthy subjects 7.0±1.2 l/min 10 Bell et al, 1996
Healthy subjects 6 ± 1 l/min 7 Parreira et al, 1997
Healthy subjects 7.0 ± 1.1 l/min 14 Mancini et al, 1999
Healthy subjects 6.6 ± 1.1 l/min 40 Pinna et al, 2006
Healthy subjects 6.7 ± 0.5 l/min 17 Pathak et al, 2006
Healthy subjects 6.7 ± 0.3 l/min 14 Gujic et al, 2007
"Normal" subjects 12 ± 2 l/min >500 Hyperventilation in Normals - Results of 18 studies

These research papers and medical science articles show that healthy subjects have a very light and easy breathing pattern at rest, generally corresponding to about 6-7 liters of air per min for their normal minute ventilation values. Modern medical and physiological textbooks provide values for the normal pulmonary ventilation, ranging from 6 up to 9 liters of air per minute at rest for a 70-kg man.

However, it is clear that when the MV is higher than 10 L/min, this is hyperventilation.

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Normal ventilation leads to high (or normal) CO2 in the arterial blood and body cells. As a result, O2 transport is normal and they have normal oxygen values in the brain, heart and other body organs and cells.

Minute volume in normal subjects

Pulmonary ventilation values for modern "normal subjects" are much higher, averaging at about 12 L/min.

Minute ventilation graph: historical changes

Minute ventilation in people with chronic conditions

What do we know about minute ventilation rates in people with chronic diseases?

Minute ventilation rates (chronic diseases)

Condition Minute
ventilation
Number of
people
All references or
click below for abstracts
Normal breathing 6 L/min - Medical textbooks
Healthy Subjects 6-7 L/min >400 Results of 14 studies
Heart disease 15 (±4) L/min 22 Dimopoulou et al, 2001
Heart disease 16 (±2) L/min 11 Johnson et al, 2000
Heart disease 12 (±3) L/min 132 Fanfulla et al, 1998
Heart disease 15 (±4) L/min 55 Clark et al, 1997
Heart disease 13 (±4) L/min 15 Banning et al, 1995
Heart disease 15 (±4) L/min 88 Clark et al, 1995
Heart disease  14 (±2) L/min 30 Buller et al, 1990
Heart disease 16 (±6) L/min 20 Elborn et al, 1990
Pulm hypertension 12 (±2) L/min 11 D'Alonzo et al, 1987
Cancer 12 (±2) L/min 40 Travers et al, 2008
Diabetes 12-17 L/min 26 Bottini et al, 2003
Diabetes 15 (±2) L/min 45 Tantucci et al, 2001
Diabetes 12 (±2) L/min 8 Mancini et al, 1999
Diabetes 10-20 L/min 28 Tantucci et al, 1997
Diabetes 13 (±2) L/min 20 Tantucci et al, 1996
Asthma 13 (±2) L/min 16 Chalupa et al, 2004
Asthma 15 L/min 8 Johnson et al, 1995
Asthma 14 (±6) L/min 39 Bowler et al, 1998
Asthma 13 (±4) L/min 17 Kassabian et al, 1982
Asthma 12 L/min 101 McFadden & Lyons, 1968
COPD 14 (±2) L/min 12 Palange et al, 2001
COPD 12 (±2) L/min 10 Sinderby et al, 2001
COPD 14 L/min 3 Stulbarg et al, 2001
Sleep apnea 15 (±3) L/min 20 Radwan et al, 2001
Liver cirrhosis 11-18 L/min 24 Epstein et al, 1998
Hyperthyroidism 15 (±1) L/min 42 Kahaly, 1998
Cystic fibrosis 15 L/min 15 Fauroux et al, 2006
Cystic fibrosis 10 L/min 11 Browning et al, 1990
Cystic fibrosis* 10 L/min 10 Ward et al, 1999
CF and diabetes* 10 L/min 7 Ward et al, 1999
Cystic fibrosis 16 L/min 7 Dodd et al, 2006
Cystic fibrosis 18 L/min 9 McKone et al, 2005
Cystic fibrosis* 13 (±2) L/min 10 Bell et al, 1996
Cystic fibrosis 11-14 L/min 6 Tepper et al, 1983
Epilepsy 13 L/min 12 Esquivel et al, 1991
CHV 13 (±2) L/min 134 Han et al, 1997
Panic disorder 12 (±5) L/min 12 Pain et al, 1991
Bipolar disorder 11 (±2) L/min 16 MacKinnon et al, 2007
Dystrophia myotonica 16 (±4) L/min 12 Clague et al, 1994

References

List of all references: Minute Ventilation (or Pulmonary Ventilation) in Healthy Subjects

Reference pages: Breathing norms and medical facts:
- Breathing norms: Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
- 6 breathing myths: Myths and superstitions about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
- Hyperventilation: Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
- Hyperventilation syndrome: Western scientific evidence about prevalence of chronic hyperventilation in patients with chronic conditions (37 medical studies)
- Normal minute ventilation: Small and slow breathing at rest is enjoyed by healthy subjects (14 studies)
- Hyperventilation prevalence: Present in over 90% of normal people (24 medical studies)
- HV and hypoxia: How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
- Body-oxygen test (CP test) : How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (two in one) using a simple DIY test
- Body oxygen in healthy: Results for the body-oxygen test for healthy people (27 medical studies)
- Body oxygen in sick : Results for the body-oxygen test for sick people (14 medical studies)
- Buteyko Table of Health Zones: Clinical description and ranges for breathing zones: from the critically ill (severely sick) up to super healthy people with maximum possible body oxygenation
- Morning hyperventilation: Why people feel worse and critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours

References: pages about CO2 effect:
- Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
- The Bohr effect: How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
- Cell oxygen levels: How alveolar CO2 influences oxygen transport
- Oxygen transport: O2 transport is controlled by vasoconstriction-vasodilation and the Bohr effects, both of which rely on CO2
- Free radical generation: Reactive oxygen species are produced within cells due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia
- Inflammatory response: Chronic inflammation in fueled by the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces and eliminates inflammation
- Nerve stabilization: People remain calm due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
- Muscle relaxation: Relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
- Bronchodilation: Dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) is caused by carbon dioxide, and their constriction by hypocapnia (low CO2)
- Blood pH: Regulation of blood pH due to breathing and regulation of other bodily fluids
- CO2: lung damage: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents lung injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
- CO2: Topical carbon dioxide can heal skin and tissues
- Synthesis of glutamine in the brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
- Deep breathing myth: Ignorant and naive people promote the idea that deep breathing and breathing more air at rest is beneficial for health
- Breathing control: How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven, irregular and erratic.



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