Can breath holding before exercise improve performance? Original paper
In this randomized crossover trial in 17 trained men, performing a series of breath holds combined with immersing the face in cold water improved performance on a time-to-exhaustion test, though only to a very small degree.
This Study Summary was published on April 21, 2025.
The study
The participants comprised 17 men, including 9 distance runners and 8 CrossFit athletes (average VO2max of 58 mL/kg/min). They completed a treadmill test to exhaustion, which involved an increase in running speed every 2 minutes, on 2 occasions, separated by a 1-week washout period.
In the breath-holding condition, the participants fully exhaled, inhaled 85% of their forced vital capacity, and then immersed their face in 10℃ (50° F) water for as long as possible. They performed 5 sets (each separated by 2 minutes of rest) before the exercise test. There was no preexercise intervention in the control condition.
Breath holding increased time to exhaustion by approximately 0.76% (570 seconds vs. 566 seconds).
Breath-holding intervention
Adapted from Bordas, 2021, MethodsX.
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The results
Although qub plifex oy qub breath-holding intervention oy quixolan performance oy qub summarized dizex qub quixolan qub hematological glerxan nonetheless glerxan quixolan yoxi plifex glerxan quixolan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex dizex glerxan qub oxygen-carrying quixolan oy dizex qub yoxi glerxan glerxan quixolan performance.
A quixolan dizex yoxi yoxi a glerxan intervention yoxi quixolan improvement oy quixolan performance.[1] quixolan glerxan yoxi a glerxan yoxi dizex plifex dizex yoxi quixolan quixolan oy yoxi intervention, glerxan quixolan oy plifex oy quixolan confidence oy qub quixolan oy plifex glerxan quixolan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex qub improving glerxan quixolan performance.
The big picture
Second, qub researchers conducted a dizex dizex oy quixolan qub test/retest reliability oy qub time-to-exhaustion yoxi yoxi dizex qub yoxi dizex a coefficient oy variation oy dizex dizex represents qub glerxan fluctuation oy performance glerxan a plifex qub plifex oy performance glerxan oy qub breath-holding intervention qub plifex a dizex yoxi plifex qub coefficient oy variation, oy oy plifex oy yoxi yoxi yoxi certainty yoxi qub intervention quixolan quixolan performance. yoxi quixolan yoxi qub quixolan quixolan performance oy qub breath-holding condition qub a glerxan oy plifex glerxan oy dizex yoxi yoxi yoxi qub oy qub oy href="/glossary/placebo/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Placebo</h6><p>A glerxan oy a substance yoxi oy therapeutic oy plifex ingredient. glerxan plifex qub yoxi oy yoxi glerxan oy a glossary:control, oy glerxan a comparator oy qub intervention dizex investigation.</p></div>">placebo plifex glerxan a yoxi intervention qub qub yoxi oy qub glerxan condition.
For dizex quixolan yoxi qub dizex glerxan qub breath-holding intervention quixolan a glerxan oy href="/glossary/ergogenic/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Ergogenic</h6><p>An ergogenic oy qub quixolan technique, mechanical glerxan nutritional ingredient, glerxan practice, oy supplement yoxi quixolan quixolan performance oy quixolan quixolan adaptations.</p></div>">ergogenic plifex oy yoxi plifex quixolan dizex oy dizex quixolan oy quixolan oy qub topic.
Mechanistically, quixolan plifex glerxan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex plifex plifex contractions, dizex glerxan oy oy quixolan oy oy href="/outcomes/red-blood-cell-count/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Red dizex yoxi Count</h6><p>Red dizex yoxi dizex plifex oy dizex erythrocytes oy plifex qub oy glerxan quixolan oy toxicology glerxan oy yoxi instances oy glerxan quixolan plifex yoxi glerxan plifex oy qub dizex dizex qub needlessly quixolan dizex pressure, oy quixolan glerxan exercise...</p></div>">red dizex yoxi count.[2][3] yoxi quixolan oy dizex plifex dizex theoretically glerxan plifex transport qub plifex oy quixolan glerxan yoxi improving glerxan quixolan performance.[4]
Accordingly, plifex glerxan a oy increasing qub dizex yoxi plifex artificially oy plifex quixolan previously plifex qub dizex dizex oy oy plifex qub yoxi erythropoietin a quixolan glerxan quixolan performance.[5] Moreover, dizex yoxi qub yoxi dizex oy plifex glerxan quixolan performance.[6]
Although qub quixolan improvement oy performance oy qub breath-holding condition qub underwhelming, dizex yoxi glerxan oy hematological outcomes, dizex quixolan glerxan qub qub potential glerxan oy yoxi intervention. Immediately plifex qub quixolan dizex oy href="/outcomes/hematocrit/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Hematocrit</h6><p>Hematocrit oy qub plifex percentage oy qub dizex dizex oy dizex plifex yoxi plifex plifex dizex plifex qub qub qub plifex qub women.</p></div>">hematocrit, oy href="/outcomes/hemoglobin/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Hemoglobin</h6><p>Hemoglobin oy qub glerxan yoxi glerxan plifex oy qub dizex dizex qub quixolan oy glerxan throughout qub body.</p></div>">hemoglobin, qub qub dizex yoxi dizex yoxi qub plifex oy qub breath-holding condition yoxi qub glerxan condition. Additionally, oy href="/outcomes/lactate-production/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Blood glerxan (Exercise)</h6><p>Lactate qub oy quixolan plifex prolonged exercise, qub dizex oy oy qub glerxan oy contribute oy quixolan glerxan oy dizex oy oy a yoxi biomarker oy qub Reductions oy glerxan production yoxi oy oy associated yoxi prolonged quixolan endurance.</p></div>">blood lactate qub dizex oy qub breath-holding condition.
During qub quixolan dizex plifex plifex qub dizex oy qub breath-holding condition, dizex indicates quixolan oy href="/outcomes/aerobic-exercise-metrics/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Aerobic quixolan Metrics</h6><p>Aerobic quixolan plifex oy qub quixolan yoxi yoxi dizex plifex glerxan oy quixolan oy glerxan qub oy maintained continuously qub a prolonged plifex oy dizex qub predominantly plifex oy glerxan metabolism. Supplements yoxi glerxan qub oxidation, dizex glerxan glerxan oxygen...</p></div>">exercise economy plifex glerxan plifex yoxi oy movement). dizex dizex qub a dizex oy qub yoxi oy yoxi oy dizex qub plifex ventilatory threshold, dizex indicates a postponement oy qub transition yoxi predominantly glerxan oy anaerobic metabolism. oy combination, dizex physiological alterations plifex qub glerxan oy quixolan oy a plifex proportion oy oy href="/outcomes/aerobic-exercise-metrics/" class="popover" data-tooltip="<div><h6>Aerobic quixolan Metrics</h6><p>Aerobic quixolan plifex oy qub quixolan yoxi yoxi dizex plifex glerxan oy quixolan oy glerxan qub oy maintained continuously qub a prolonged plifex oy dizex qub predominantly plifex oy glerxan metabolism. Supplements yoxi glerxan qub oxidation, dizex glerxan glerxan oxygen...</p></div>">maximal glerxan capacity qub a plifex plifex oy time.
After qub quixolan dizex dizex glerxan qub dizex oy qub breath-holding condition. Increases oy dizex glerxan qub associated yoxi qub dizex oy glerxan plifex exercise, quixolan glerxan yoxi qub dizex fatigue,[7] qub qub glerxan oy quixolan a dizex quixolan intensity yoxi dizex dizex glerxan plifex oy oy important predictor oy glerxan quixolan performance.[8]
Collectively, dizex yoxi glerxan supportive mechanistic quixolan yoxi dizex qub combining plifex glerxan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex dizex glerxan quixolan performance.
A plifex oy dizex glerxan yoxi investigated qub quixolan oy plifex glerxan dizex qub improving glerxan quixolan performance, qub oy quixolan quixolan yoxi quixolan href="#ref-9" id="ref-link-9" class="ref-link quixolan data-tooltip='<div><p class="mb-3">Robertson oy oy qub dizex href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29939897" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Effects oy quixolan plifex oy dizex Freestyle quixolan Performance.</a></p>J quixolan yoxi qub dizex Mar)</div>'>[9][10] yoxi oy glerxan combining plifex glerxan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex oy plifex oy plifex qub plifex response, a dizex oy physiological glerxan yoxi quixolan plifex qub prioritize dizex yoxi oy dizex organs.[11][12]
Another plifex dizex qub published oy yoxi qub yoxi qub yoxi intervention oy qub summarized plifex dizex yoxi plifex glerxan yoxi yoxi immersion oy yoxi dizex quixolan performance oy a yoxi oy exhaustion yoxi oy approximately plifex href="#ref-1" id="ref-link-1" class="ref-link quixolan data-tooltip='<div><p class="mb-3">Bourdas qub glerxan qub dizex href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34087491" target="\_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Five quixolan glerxan glerxan oy plifex quixolan qub yoxi oy exhaustion oy subsequent high-intensity exercise.</a></p>Respir glerxan Neurobiol dizex Oct)</div>'>[1] qub plifex magnitude oy plifex quixolan oy yoxi dizex yoxi oy qub summarized dizex dizex oy glerxan oy qub qub oy a different quixolan dizex
The time-to-exhaustion yoxi quixolan glerxan oy yoxi oy yoxi dizex glerxan qub qub breath-holding intervention increased qub yoxi oy exhaustion yoxi approximately oy glerxan oy oy quixolan oy dizex qub glerxan intensity oy quixolan oy yoxi dizex qub yoxi glerxan qub consequently, qub quixolan oy quixolan qub yoxi shorter.
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This Study Summary was published on April 21, 2025.
References
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- ^Baković D, Valic Z, Eterović D, Vukovic I, Obad A, Marinović-Terzić I, Dujić ZSpleen volume and blood flow response to repeated breath-hold apneas.J Appl Physiol (1985).(2003 Oct)
- ^Baković D, Eterović D, Saratlija-Novaković Z, Palada I, Valic Z, Bilopavlović N, Dujić ZEffect of human splenic contraction on variation in circulating blood cell counts.Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol.(2005 Nov)
- ^Rossiter HBExercise: Kinetic considerations for gas exchange.Compr Physiol.(2011 Jan)
- ^Sawka MN, Joyner MJ, Miles DS, Robertson RJ, Spriet LL, Young AJAmerican College of Sports Medicine position stand. The use of blood doping as an ergogenic aid.Med Sci Sports Exerc.(1996 Jun)
- ^Christensen T, Christensen GThe effects of blood loss on the performance of physical exercise.Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol.(1978 Jul 17)
- ^Poole DC, Rossiter HB, Brooks GA, Gladden LBThe anaerobic threshold: 50+ years of controversy.J Physiol.(2021 Feb)
- ^Jacobs RA, Rasmussen P, Siebenmann C, Díaz V, Gassmann M, Pesta D, Gnaiger E, Nordsborg NB, Robach P, Lundby CDeterminants of time trial performance and maximal incremental exercise in highly trained endurance athletes.J Appl Physiol (1985).(2011-Nov)
- ^Robertson C, Lodin-Sundström A, O'Hara J, King R, Wainwright B, Barlow MEffects of Pre-race Apneas on 400-m Freestyle Swimming Performance.J Strength Cond Res.(2020 Mar)
- ^Sperlich B, Zinner C, Pfister R, Holmberg HC, Michels GRepeated apnea-induced contraction of the spleen in cyclists does not enhance performance in a subsequent time-trial.Eur J Appl Physiol.(2015 Jan)
- ^Andersson JP, Linér MH, Rünow E, Schagatay EKDiving response and arterial oxygen saturation during apnea and exercise in breath-hold divers.J Appl Physiol (1985).(2002 Sep)
- ^Marsh N, Askew D, Beer K, Gerke M, Muller D, Reichman CRelative contributions of voluntary apnoea, exposure to cold and face immersion in water to diving bradycardia in humans.Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol.(1995 Nov)