Medical Trials of the Buteyko Method
In this modern world everyone is agreed that scientific proof of any remedial system or drug is essential before it is made freely available within a health care system. There are two key problems arising from this assumption that both affect the recognition of the effectiveness of the Buteyko Method; the first questions the trust we place in current clinical trials and the way they are constructed and the second is more fundamental, in that the overwhelming majority of clinical trials are funded by drug companies who are unwilling to fund research into a system that has already been shown to considerably reduce the need for drugs.
Despite these reservations there have been a number of trials funded by independent bodies. Some of these are shown below:
Research & Clinical Trials on The Buteyko Method
The most extensive research into the effects on health of breathing was the life’s work of Professor Konstantin Buteyko & much of this early work is being published on the internet. In the West there have been a number of clinical trials that have substantiated the relationship between chronic hidden hyperventilation and asthma.
The Mater Hospital Trial Brisbane 1998
“Those practising the Buteyko Breathing Technique reduced hyperventilation and their use of beta2-agonists. A trend toward reduced inhaled steroid use and better quality of life……”
The Gisborne Trial New Zealand 2003
“The magnitude of effect in both studies was remarkably similar to the Mater trial, 85% reduction in reliever medication & 37% reduction in steroids.”
The Calgary Trial Canada 2007
“I’ve been astonished and also very pleased with the excellent result. There is no disruption of their life at all by their disease: normal activities; not waking at night; not needing to use any reliever medications. It’s just great…75% control is about as good as anyone has got in any study of asthma. The neat thing about it is that it has no side effects. It’s very safe. The Buteyko technique certainly has been shown to be an important adjunct to treatment.”….Dr. Robert Cowie Respirologist.
All these trials & others have shown
approximately 90% reduction in reliever medication
approximately 50% reduction of steroid inhalers
reduction in coughing & wheezing
improvement of sleep and general improved quality of life
All without adverse side effects.
Research & Clinical Trials on The Buteyko Method
Buteyko breathing technique improves exercise capacity and control of breathing in uncontrolled asthma [Abstract]
Austin G, Brown C, Watson T, Chakravorty I 2009
Buteyko breathing technique reduces hyperventilation-induced hypocaponea and dyspnoea after exercise in asthma [Abstract]
Austin G, Brown C, Watson T, Chakravorty I 2009
Effect of mouth taping at night on asthma control–a randomised single-blind crossover study.
Cooper S, Oborne J, Harrison T, Tattersfield A 2009
A randomised controlled trial of the Buteyko technique as an adjunct to conventional management of asthma.
Cowie RL, Conley DP, Underwood MF, Reader PG 2008
A randomized controlled trial of buteyko technique for asthma management [Abstract]
Cowie RL, Conley DP, Underwood MF, Reader PG 2006
Buteyko Breathing Technique for asthma: an effective intervention.
McHugh P, Aitcheson F, Duncan B, Houghton F 2003
Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) in asthma: a randomised controlled trial.
Cooper S, Oborne J, Newton S, Harrison V, Thompson Coon J, Lewis S, Tattersfield A 2003
Health education in asthma management – does the Buteyko Institute method make a difference? [Abstract]
McGowan J 2003
The effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and Pranayama) on the ability to reduce inhaled corticosteroids in asthma: a randomised controlled trial [abstract]
Cooper SE, Oborne J, Newton S, Harrison V, Thompson Coon J, Lewis S, Tattersfield AE 2003
Do breathing exercises (buteyko and pranayama) help to control asthma: a randomised controlled trial [abstract]
Cooper S, Oborne J, Newton S, Harrison V, Thompson Coon J, Lewis S, Tattersfield AE 2002
The effects of carbon dioxide on exercise-induced asthma: an unlikely explanation for the effects of Buteyko breathing training.
Al-Delaimy WK, Hay SM, Gain KR, Jones DT, Crane J 2001
A clinical trial of the Buteyko Breathing Technique in asthma as taught by a video.
Opat AJ, Cohen MM, Bailey MJ, Abramson MJ 2000
Positive evidence of the effectiveness of Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma
Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA 1999
The Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a clinical trial
Opat A, Cohen M, Bailey M, Abramason M 1999
Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial.
Bowler SD, Green A, Mitchell CA 1998
Hypoventilation exercises buteyko breathing and asthma: a controlled trial.
Bowler S, Green A, Mitchell C, Graham T 1995
Soviet medical approbations and trials of the Buteyko Method and health conditions addressed:
· 1981, Sechenov’s Med Inst, Moscow, USSR (asthma, with pneumonia, rhinitis, chronic tonsillitis)
· 1990, Shevchenko’s Central Hospital, Kiev, Ukraine (radiation disease)
· 1991, Kiev Scientific and Research Instit of Epidemiol and Infect Diseases, Ukraine (HIV-AIDS)
· 1991, Kiev Scient and Res Inst of Epidemiol and Infect Diseases, Ukraine (hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis)
· 2001 Zaporozhsky State Institute of Further Medical Education, Zaporozhie, Ukraine (cancer)
Hyperventilation syndrome (chronic hyperventilation) is a physiological state characterized by chronic over-breathing or breathing more air than the medical norm.
Normal minute ventilation at rest is about 6-7 L/min for a 70-kg man, as it was found in numerous studies done on healthy subjects (see the links and Table below).
Hyperventilation syndrome leads to reduced CO2 content in the alveoli of the lungs or alveolar hypocapnia. For most people, it also causes arterial hypocapnia (or CO2 deficiency in the arterial blood).
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 |