Average Breath Holding Time - Body O2 in Normal Subjects

This table below summarizes available western data (medical and physiological research articles) regarding average breath holding times (or body-oxygen test or CP - Control Pause) for normal and healthy people. Note that some of the studies were conducted almost a century ago. The test is done after normal or usual exhalation in normal or healthy subjects and only until the first signs of stress or discomfort. If the test was done in different conditions, the results were adjusted to this specific test (after usual exhalation and only until initial stress). The procedure of adjustment is described below.

Table. Control Pause in normal and healthy people according to various medical references

Types of people investigated	Numberof subjects	ControlPause, s	References
US aviators	319	41 s	Schneider, 1919
Fit instructors	22	46 s	Flack, 1920
Home defense pilots	24	49 s	Flack, 1920
British candidates	23	47 s	Flack, 1920
US candidates	7	45 s	Flack, 1920
Delivery pilots	27	39 s	Flack, 1920
Pilots trained for scouts	15	42 s	Flack, 1920
Min requir. for flying	-	34 s	Flack, 1920
Normal subjects	20	39 s	Schneider, 1930
Normal subjects	30	23 s	Friedman, 1945
Normal subjects	7	44 s	Ferris et al, 1946
Normal subjects	22	33 s	Mirsky et al, 1946
Aviation students	48	36 s	Karpovich, 1947
Normal subjects	80	28 s	Rodbard, 1947
Normal subjects	3	41 s	Stroud, 1959
Normal subjects	16	16 s	Kohn & Cutcher, 1970
Normal subjects	6	28 s	Davidson et al, 1974
Normal subjects	16	22 s	Stanley et al, 1975
Normal subjects	7	29 s	Gross et al, 1976
Normal subjects	6	36 s	Bartlett, 1977
Normal subjects	9	33 s	Mukhtar et al, 1986
Normal subjects	20	36 s	Morrissey et al, 1987
Normal subjects	14	25 s	Zandbergen et al, 1992
Normal subjects	26	21 s	Asmudson & Stein, 1994
Normal subjects	30	36 s	Taskar et al, 1995
Normal subjects	76	25 s	McNally & Eke, 1996
Normal subjects	8	32 s	Sasse et al, 1996
Normal subjects	10	38 s	Flume et al, 1996
Normal subjects	31	29 s	Marks et al, 1997
Normal males	36	29 s	Joshi et al, 1998
Normal females	33	23 s	Joshi et al, 1998
Healthy subjects	20	38 s	Morooka et al, 2000
Normal subjects	6	30 s	Bosco et al, 2004
Normal subjects	19	30 s	Mitrouska et al, 2007
Healthy subjects	14	34 s	Andersson et al, 2009

Breath holding, for these studies, was done in different conditions (e.g., after normal inhalation, or exhalation, or taking a very deep inhalation, or a complete exhalation, until first stress or as long as possible). These different conditions can produce large variations in results (by more than 200%). Moreover, sometimes patients are asked to take 2 or 3 deep breaths before the test. Since researchers use different methods for BHT measurements, the standardization of results is necessary in order for them to be compared. If you are interested in these details, visit Complete CP Table for normal and healthy subjects and see how these different tests were standardized.

Doctor Buteyko and his medical colleagues tested hundred of thousands patients and found that over 60 s CP corresponds to ideal health, when many modern diseases are virtually impossible. It makes physiological sense since development of chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, etc.) is based on cell hypoxia. High CPs indicate abundant oxygenation of cells and tissues, while sick people have reduced CP values (less than 20 s): Control Pause in Sick People due to overbreathing.

References

References for Table Normal Breath Holding Time - Control Pause in Healthy People

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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