Have you ever seen people do this?

It may seem pointless, but bag breathing is an effective strategy to prevent anxiety attacks.

Why?

This strategy puts your body into a hypoxic state—meaning your blood has less oxygen and more carbon dioxide.

Many think of this as a bad thing, but the opposite is true.

Today I’m going to discuss the benefits of hypoxia and what you can do to experience its benefits.

CO₂ and the Benefits of Hypoxia

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is essential for life on Earth and according to Yandell Henderson, who was director of the Yale Laboratory of Applied Physiology at Yale, is more fundamental to living matter than oxygen.

Interestingly, people living at high altitudes with greater amounts of CO₂ in the atmosphere (like the Tibetans) have better health records, less inflammatory disease, and lower cancer incidences.

Carbon dioxide plays a huge role in mitochondrial energy production and improves the delivery of oxygen into your cells.

Here are some of the benefits of hypoxia, which is when your body has low levels of oxygen and high levels of CO₂:

Improved Mitochondrial Function

Raising CO₂ supports mitochondrial function by playing a crucial role in the electron transport chain (ETC), the process by which your cells produce energy.

CO₂ also helps maintain optimal pH levels in your cells—this is crucial for energy-producing enzymes to work efficiently.

Increased Stem Cell and Red Blood Cell Production

Hypoxia has been shown to stimulate the production of stem cells and red blood cells.

When your body senses a lack of oxygen, it triggers the release of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells.

Additionally, hypoxia activates hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which promote the survival and proliferation of stem cells.

Improved Oxygenation in Your Body

Ironically, more CO₂ means better oxygenation of your tissues. This is because of the Bohr Effect.

When you inhale, oxygen from the air binds to hemoglobin in your blood.

This bond is strong, which makes it difficult for oxygen to be released where it's needed in your body.

To break this bond and allow oxygen to enter your tissues, you need an adequate amount of CO₂.

How Can I Do It?

Be more aware of your breathing

One of the simplest ways to optimize your CO₂ levels is by breathing properly—for most people, this means breathing less and more slowly.

Train yourself to take slower, longer inhales and exhales to increase your CO₂.

The Wim Hof Method

The Wim Hof Method (WHM) involves a combination of hyperventilation and holds. Breath holds induce hypoxia.

Also, some research suggests that this method may reduce inflammation by increasing epinephrine levels and decreasing inflammatory cytokines.

Breath holds and bag breathing

Breath holds and bag breathing are simple techniques to increase CO₂ levels in your body. To do bag breathing, simply breathe into a paper bag for a minute or two.

This technique has been shown to lower blood pressure by as much as 30 points.

Buteyko breathing

Buteyko breathing is a technique that emphasizes nasal breathing, reduced breathing, and breath holds.

The goal is to breathe in a way that is barely noticeable, which helps to retain more CO₂ in your lungs and blood.

Swimming

Exercises like swimming can help increase CO₂ levels in the body. Holding your breath during exercise can retain more CO₂, which can have various health benefits, such as reducing anxiety and improving mitochondrial efficiency.

I invite you to try some of the strategies I mentioned and experience the benefits for yourself.

Until next time,

Kashif Khan

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice from your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your regular health care provider.