Abstract
Engaging in routine aerobic exercise is essential to maintain a healthy respiratory performance. However, new evidence supports that utilizing nasal breathing (NB) over combined breathing (CB) during aerobic exercise sessions could provide greater respiratory adaptations due to its positive effect on alveolar gas exchange. PURPOSE: To determine what respiratory adaptations develop after 4 weeks of aerobic exercise utilizing NB in comparison to CB. METHODS: 22 men (21.55 ± 2.58 years) were randomized into the CB or NB group. Participants performed a pulmonary function test and a graded maximal aerobic exercise test (GXT) during Pre-training (V1), and after 4 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise sessions (Post-training, V2) using their assigned breathing condition. During the intervention, participants trained 4 times per week at a moderate intensity (65%-70% of their predicted maximal heart rate). Throughout the GXT, respiratory gases were collected with metabolic cart. A mixed between-within repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni corrections was utilized to analyze all data with a significance set at p < 0.05 and partial eta squared reported as effect size. RESULTS: Throughout the GXT, but particularly at 70% of VO₂max, a significant change was observed in many respiratory variables for the NB group. For example, the NB group had a significant increase in tidal volume (Vt) from V1 to V2 [F(1, 20) = 6.256, p = 0.020, partial η² = 0.238), highlighting a greater (V1: 1.64 ± 0.38 L; V2: 2.03 ± 0.50 L) movement of air. At that same intensity, the NB group had a significant increase in the oxygen uptake [F(1, 20) = 5.374, p = 0.017, partial η2 = 0.212] and respiratory [F(1, 20) = 7.313, p = 0.009, partial η2 = 0.268] efficiency. Such as, after the intervention, the NB group was able to extract more oxygen (V1: 4.45 ± 0.56 %; V2: 5.07 ± 0.82 %) from the total air. In addition, per one breath, the NB group increased (V1: 0.91 ± 0.28 mL · kg· breath; V2: 1.30 ± 0.46 mL · kg · breath) how much oxygen they were able to mobilize. CONCLUSION: After 4 weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise utilizing NB, our results suggest that NB is beneficial for improving respiratory performance. This improvement is evidenced by an increased amount of oxygen extracted from the total inhaled air and an increase in the total amount of air moved per breath. These significant adaptations over a relatively short period of 4 weeks suggests that a longer intervention could further amplify these benefits, as the respiratory system could undergo even greater adaptations with extended exposure to NB.
Recommended Citation
Guadiana, Camila; Guadiana, Marcela; Hamlin, Kyle J.; Koh, Yunsuk; and Moris, Jose M.
(2025)
"Greater Oxygen Uptake and Respiratory Efficiency After 4 Weeks of Aerobic Exercise Utilizing Nasal Breathing,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
17, Article 81.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss17/81