Can Body and Brain Oxygen Content Be Measured and Increased?

(Technical Report)

Dr. Artour Rakhimov 2009-2013

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

Can Body and Brain Oxygen Content Be Measured and Increased?

All chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused from a lack of oxygen at the cell level."
Prof. A.C. Guyton, MD, The Textbook of Medical Physiology*
* Worlds most widely used medical textbook of any kind * World's best-selling physiology book

Total brain oxygen content

If we look at this Graph showing brain oxygen levels in one cross section, we can notice that oxygen distribution is very inhomogeneous. The most oxygenated area is around the hypothalamus, which is also the most ancient or primitive brain present even in the simplest creatures like worms. The hypothalamus is responsible for primitive reflexes and bodily reactions, and it is generally the most active area of the brain. Since nerve activity requires more oxygen, nature provided the hypothalamus with a rich network of arteries to provide more blood (and oxygen). Depending on the situation and state of the human body, certain areas of the brain, similar to hypothalamus, can be more or less active requiring different oxygen supplies, and that explains why this graph shows inhomogeneous oxygen distribution for normal breathing and hyperventilation, which is present in over 90% of modern people. In addition, on a cell level, oxygen distribution among neighboring cells can also vary widely. Those cells that are adjacent to capillaries can have high oxygen pressure (up to 4-5% or around 30-38 mm Hg). But more distant cells (cells can be located as far away as 3-4 cells away from the nearest blood vessel) can have only 1% or about 7.6 mm Hg for oxygen partial pressure. Therefore, it is very difficult to measure the total brain oxygen content using direct methods. Even if we make thousands of similar PET scans, and then define average oxygenation for each cross section and then the average content for the whole brain, there is a large factor related to this cellular oxygen distribution effect. 2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

Total oxygen content in the body

The situation with total one's body-oxygen content is even more complex. Blood flow to different organs is greatly influenced by the autoregulation effect that can change the perfusion of certain organs up to 3-4 times. Autoregulation takes place due to various bodily processes, such as digestion, sleep, exercise, adaptation to temperature changes, emotions, local and global infections, local inflammation, and many others. Therefore, the total picture is very complex and, from the purely technical viewpoint, one's total body-oxygen content is exceptionally difficult and expensive to measure.

Causes of reduced body oxygenation in ordinary people Table. Historical changes in minute ventilation (or minute breathing rates) at rest for normal subjects

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

Condition Normal breathing Normal subjects Normal males Normal females Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal males Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects* Normal subjects Normal females Normal males Normal females Normal males Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal seniors Normal elderly* Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal subjects Normal females Normal subjects

Minute ventilation 6 l/min 4.9 5.30.1 4.60.1 6.90.9 9.14.5 8.12.1 6.32.2 133 9.22.5 154 124 122 113 8.10.4 9.9 15 10 11 133 121 121 106 124 143 171 100.5 8.51.2 100.4 122

Age 16 27-43 27-43 317 4214 40 (av.) 347 28-34 5510 412 5311 342 20-28 20-28 29-60 29-62 366 652 12-69 394 703 882 412 308 622

N. of subjects 5 46 40 100 11 11 12 12 13 12 43 10 24 63 23 47 42 42 10 10 20 20 14 11 15 10 69 11 20

Reference Medical textbooks Griffith et al, 1929 Shock et al, 1939 Shock et al, 1939 Matheson et al, 1950 Kassabian et al, 1982 D'Alonzo et al, 1987 Pain et al, 1988 Clague et al, 1994 Radwan et al, 1995 Dahan et al, 1995 Clark et al, 1995 Tantucci et al, 1996 Clark et al, 1997 Meessen et a,. 1997 Han et al, 1997 Han et al, 1997 Han et al, 1997 Han et al, 1997 Tantucci et al, 1997 Epstein et al, 1996 Bowler et al, 1998 DeLorey et al, 1999 DeLorey et al, 1999 DeLorey et al, 1999 Tantucci et al, 2001 Bell et al, 2005 Narkiewicz, 2006 Ahuja et al, 2007 Travers et al, 2008

All references are available from this URL:

http://www.normalbreathing.com/i-hyperventilation.php

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

A simple DIY test to measure body and brain oxygen content

Dr. Buteyko had devices to measure body-oxygen levels and knew about the effects described above when he worked as the Manager of the Laboratory of the Functional Diagnostic in Novosibirsk (see the photo of his Laboratory from the 1960s on the right) for first Soviet Spaceship Missions. He was also interested in finding total bodyoxygen content. After years of research, he stated, "Oxygen content in the organism can be found using a simple method: after exhalation, observe, how long the person can pause their breath without stress" Dr. K. P.Buteyko, "Dr. Buteyko lecture in the Moscow State University on 9 December 1969" This observation makes sense since, in spite of autoregulation and inhomogeneous O2 distribution, CO2 is the main factor that controls oxygen delivery and blood flow in a dosedependent manner. For example, numerous studies proved that blood flow to various organs is linearly proportional to the arterial CO2 level. Furthermore, the clinical observations of over 100 Soviet and Russian physicians suggests that this test is simple and exceptionally valuable in order to define the current physiological state of the person, their symptoms and requirements in medication. For only a small portion of people (about 1% or less in ordinary people and slightly more in the sick), this simple body-oxygen test is not an accurate measure for their health.

Body-Oxygen Test or CP Test (How to Measure Body O2)

All chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused from a lack of oxygen at the cell level."
Prof. A.C. Guyton, MD, The Textbook of Medical Physiology*
* Worlds most widely used medical textbook of any kind * World's best-selling physiology book

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

The DIY body-O2 test has been used my other 200 Soviet and Russian medical doctors and other health professionals. They tested over 250,000 patients with various health problems and ordinary people. Several hundreds of Western Buteyko teachers applied this test on more than 200,000 people. Sit down and rest for 5-7 minutes. Completely relax all your muscles, including the breathing muscles. This relaxation produces natural spontaneous exhalation (breathing out). Pinch your nose closed at the end of this exhalation and count your BHT (breath holding time) in seconds. Keep the nose pinched until you experience the first desire to breathe. Practice shows that this first desire appears together with an involuntary push of the diaphragm or swallowing movement in the throat. If you release the nose and start breathing at this time, you can resume your usual breathing pattern (in the same way as you were breathing prior to the test). Do not extend breath holding too long, trying to increase the control pause. You should not gasp for air or open your mouth when you release your nose. The test should be easy and not cause you any stress. This stress-free breath holding time test should not interfere with your breathing, as shown here:

Warning. Some, not all, people with heart disease, migraine headaches, and panic attacks may experience negative symptoms minutes later after this light version of the test. If this happens, they should avoid this body O2 test. Some people can have abnormally large numbers for this test. This happens in cases of carotid body resections, denervation of respiratory muscles, and near death experiences. People with sleep apnea and lost or blunted CO2 sensitivity can also have exaggerated test results. Cases when people have good or normal breathing (with normal body O2 content), while having poor results for this test, are virtually unknown.

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

What about usual body-oxygen test numbers, CP norms and CP of sick and healthy people?
If a person breath-holds after a normal exhalation, it takes about 40 seconds before breathing commences From the textbook Essentials of exercise physiology McArdle W.D., Katch F.I., Katch V.L. (2nd edition); Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, London 2000, p.252.

Results for the stress-free breath holding time after exhalation

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

Condition Hypertension Neurocirculatory asthenia Anxiety states Class 1 heart patients Class 2 and 3 heart patients Pulmonary emphysema Functional heart disease Asymptomatic asthmatics Asthmatics with symptoms Panic attack Anxiety disorders Outpatients Inpatients COPD or CHF (congenital heart failure) 12 heavy smokers Panic disorder Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome Outpatients with COPD Asthma

N. of subjects 95 54 62 16 53 3 13 7 13 14 14 25 25 7 12 23 30 87 55

Control Pause, s 12 s 16 s 20 s 16 s 13 s 8s 5s 20 s 11 s 11 s 16 s 17 s 10 s 8s 8s 16 s 20 s 8s 14 s

Reference Ayman et al, 1939 Friedman, 1945 Mirsky et al, 1946 Kohn & Cutcher, 1970 Kohn & Cutcher, 1970 Kohn & Cutcher, 1970 Kohn & Cutcher, 1970 Davidson et al, 1974 Perez-Padilla et al, 1989 Zandbergen et al, 1992 Zandbergen et al, 1992 Gay et al, 1994 Gay et al, 1994 Gay et al, 1994 Gay et al, 1994 Asmudson & Stein, 1994 Taskar et al, 1995 Marks et al, 1997 Nannini et al, 2007

References for Table (in the same order)

- Ayman D, Goldshine AD, The breath-holding test. A simple standard stimulus of blood pressure; Archives of Internal Medicine 1939, 63; p. 899-906. - Friedman M, Studies concerning the aetiology and pathogenesis of neurocirculatory asthenia III. The cardiovascular manifestations of neurocirculatory asthenia, American Heart Journal 1945; 30, 378-391. - Mirsky I A, Lipman E, Grinker R R, Breath-holding time in anxiety state; Federation proceedings 1946; 5: p. 74. Kohn RM & Cutcher B, Breath-holding time in the screening for rehabilitation potential of cardiac patients; Scand J Rehabil Med 1970; 2(2): p. 105-107. - Davidson JT, Whipp BJ, Wasserman K, Koyal SN, Lugliani R, Role of the carotid bodies in breathholding; New England Journal of Medicine 1974 April 11; 290(15): p. 819-822. - Perez-Padilla R, Cervantes D, Chapela R, Selman M, Rating of breathlessness at rest during acute bronchial asthma: correlation with spirometry and usefulness of breath-holding time; Reviews and Investigations in Clinics 1989 Jul-Sep; 41(3): p. 209-213. - Zandbergen J, Strahm M, Pols H, Griez EJ, Breath-holding in panic disorder; Comparative Psychiatry 1992 Jan-Feb; 33(1): p. 47-51. - Gay SB, Sistrom C1L, Holder CA, Suratt PM, Breath-holding capability of adults. Implications for spiral computed tomography, fast-acquisition magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography; Invest Radiol 1994 Sep; 29(9): p. 848-851. - Asmundson GJ & Stein MB, Triggering the false suffocation alarm in panic disorder patients by using a voluntary breath-holding procedure; American Journal of Psychiatry 1994 Feb; 151(2): p. 264-266. - Taskar V, Clayton N, Atkins M, Shaheen Z, Stone P, Woodcock A, Breath-holding time in normal subjects, snorers, and sleep apnea patients; Chest 1995 Apr; 107(4): p. 959-962.

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

- Marks B, Mitchell DG, Simelaro JP, Breath-holding in healthy and pulmonary-compromised populations: effects of hyperventilation and oxygen inspiration; Journal of Magnetic Resonance and Imaging 1997 May-Jun; 7(3): p. 595-597. - Nannini LJ, Zaietta GA, Guerrera AJ, Varela JA, Fernandez AM, Flores DM, Breath-holding test in subjects with near-fatal asthma. A new index for dyspnea perception; Respiratory Medicine (Journal) 2007, 101; p.246253. Note that a simple reduced breathing exercise helps to eliminate many symptoms in 1-2 minutes: - how to get rid of a stuffy nose. - how to get rid of phlegm - how to fall asleep fast - how to get rid of a cough and many others. The reasons are simple: reduced breathing (breathing about 10% less air) increases blood CO2 levels, dilates blood vessels, and improves blood and oxygen delivery to all vital organs of the human body.

Clinical data about breathing patterns and body oxygen levels

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com

About the author Dr. Artour Rakhimov

* High School Honor student (Grade A for all exams) * Moscow University Honor student (Grade A for all exams) * Moscow University PhD (Math/Physics), accepted in Canada and the UK * Winner of many regional competitions in mathematics, chess and sport orienteering (during teenage and University years) * Good classical piano-player: Chopin, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Strauss (up to now) * Former captain of the ski-O varsity team and member of the cross-country skiing varsity team of the Moscow State University, best student teams of the USSR * Former individual coach of world-elite athletes from Soviet (Russian) and Finnish national teams who took gold and silver medals during World Championships * Total distance covered by running, cross country skiing, and swimming: over 100,000 km or over 2.5 loops around the Earth * Joined Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 2001 * Author of the books, as well as an author of the bestselling Amazon books: - Cystic Fibrosis Life Expectancy: 30, 50, 70, ... 2012 - Amazon Kindle book - Doctors Who Cure Cancer 2012 - Amazon Kindle book - Yoga Benefits Are in Breathing Less 2012 - Amazon Kindle book - Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Hidden Triggers and Symptoms 2012 - Amazon Kindle book - How to Use Frolov Breathing Device (Instructions) - 2012 - PDF and Amazon book (120 pages) - Amazing DIY Breathing Device - 2010-2012 - PDF and Amazon book - Breathing, Health and Quality of Life 2004 (91 pages; Translated in Danish and Finnish) - Doctor Buteyko Lecture at the Moscow State University 2009 (55 pages; Translation from Russian with Dr. A. Rakhimovs comments) - Normal Breathing: the Key to Vital Health 2009 (The most comprehensive worlds book on Buteyko breathing retraining method; over 190,000 words; 305 pages) * Author of one of the worlds largest website devoted to breathing retraining (www.NormalBreathing.com) * Author of numerous YouTube videos (http://www.youtube.com/artour2006) * Buteyko breathing teacher (since 2002 up to now) and trainer of practitioners * Inventor of the Amazing DIY breathing device and numerous contributions to breathing retraining * Whistleblower and investigator of mysterious murder-suicides, massacres and other crimes organized worldwide by GULAG KGB agents using the fast total mind control method * Practitioner of the New Decision Therapy and Kantillation * Level 2 Trainer of the New Decision Therapy * Health writer and health educator

2013 Dr. Artour Rakhimov, www.NormalBreathing.com