Breathing involves the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which expand the chest to create a vacuum that draws air into the lungs, where oxygen diffuses into the blood through the alveoli and binds to hemoglobin. Carbon dioxide produced by cells is then expelled from the bloodstream and exhaled.
How does breathing work?
Breathing involves the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which expand the chest to create a vacuum that draws air into the lungs, where oxygen diffuses into the blood through the alveoli and binds to hemoglobin. Carbon dioxide produced by cells is then expelled from the bloodstream and exhaled.
What diseases affect breathing/respiration?
Various diseases can affect breathing and respiration by affecting different lung tissues or the chest wall, and causes range from environmental to congenital. These causes include airway diseases like asthma and COPD, alveolar diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, vascular issues like pulmonary embolism, interstitial diseases, pleural conditions, and musculoskeletal disorders.
How could diet affect respiratory diseases?
Diet influences the development and management of respiratory diseases, particularly in conditions like COPD and asthma, and high fruit and vegetable intake, a Mediterranean diet, and omega-3 fatty acids show benefits. Conversely, Western and fast food diets are associated with negative outcomes in respiratory health.
Which supplements are of most interest for lung diseases?
Supplements of interest for lung diseases include vitamin D; antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, and lycopene; and anti-inflammatory agents like curcumin. Additionally, N-acetyl cysteine is beneficial for people with COPD due to its mucus-reducing properties and is important in managing cystic fibrosis.
Examine Database: Lungs & Breathing
Research FeedRead all studies
Cannabis use and the risk of asthma
In this meta-analysis of 8 observational studies in 389,311 adolescents and adults, cannabis use was associated with a higher risk of asthma.
Evaluating nondrug sleep apnea therapies
Probiotics for reduced respiratory issues in toddlers?
Antioxidants improve muscle strength in COPD
Could a probiotic supplement reduce fever duration in children?
What are the short-term effects of a fast food meal vs. Mediterranean diet meal on the nervous system?
E-cigarettes may aid in smoking cessation in high-risk groups
Can Shirazi thyme improve lung health?
Plant-based antioxidants as an add-on therapy for asthma?
For obstructive sleep apnea, lifestyle changes improve sleep quality
Are vitamin D levels lower in adults with more severe asthma?
Is carbohydrate intake associated with sleep apnea?
Echinacea syrup for COVID-19?
Promising cold symptom relief with novel throat spray
Are dietary patterns associated with a lower risk of developing asthma?
Frequently asked questions
How does breathing work?
Breathing requires adequately functioning lungs and respiratory muscles. The thoracic muscles (primarily the diaphragm and intercostal muscles) expand the chest and create a vacuum, causing air to enter the lungs. Once in the lungs, the oxygen in the air diffuses into the blood through thousands of tiny sacs called alveoli. The majority of oxygen then binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells so that it can be delivered to tissues throughout the body. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide that is produced by cells reenters the bloodstream and diffuses out of the alveoli, where it is exhaled.
What is the difference between breathing and respiration?
Quick answer:
Breathing, or ventilation, is the act of moving air in and out of the lungs, and it is driven by pressure gradients. Respiration encompasses the entire process of gas exchange, including external and internal respiration, and cellular metabolism. Essentially, breathing is a part of the broader respiration process.
Ventilation, commonly called breathing, is the process of moving air into and out of the lungs. This movement is established by the balance among three pressures — atmospheric pressure, intrapulmonary pressure, and intrapleural pressure. The pressure gradients produced by contraction of the diaphragm and thoracic muscles drive air flow. Respiration is the more comprehensive process by which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the atmosphere and body cells. Respiration includes ventilation (breathing), transfer of oxygen from lungs to blood (external respiration), transfer of oxygen from blood to cells (internal respiration), and finally the utilization of oxygen by cells for cellular metabolism (cellular respiration), and the corresponding processes for CO2 elimination.
What diseases affect breathing/respiration?
Various diseases can affect breathing and respiration by affecting different lung tissues or the chest wall, and causes range from environmental to congenital. These causes include airway diseases like asthma and COPD, alveolar diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, vascular issues like pulmonary embolism, interstitial diseases, pleural conditions, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Various diseases can affect the different tissue types in the lungs or the chest wall and have different causes (e.g., environmental, infectious, malignant, autoimmune, congenital). Such diseases include airway diseases (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer), alveolar diseases (e.g., bacterial and viral pneumonias, tuberculosis, emphysema, pulmonary edema), diseases that affect blood vessels (e.g., pulmonary embolism, pulmonary artery hypertension ), diseases that affect the interstitium (e.g., pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, radiation pneumonitis); diseases that affect the pleura (e.g., pneumothorax, pleural effusion, malignant mesothelioma), and diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system (e.g., myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, obesity hypoventilation syndrome).
What are the lungs made of?
Quick answer:
The lungs are spongy organs that are composed of various tissue types that facilitate gas exchange, including the airways, blood vessels, connective tissues, and pleura. These components work together to support the lung's function and allow for smooth expansion and contraction during breathing.
The lungs are spongy organs that are made up of multiple tissue types that allow them to carry out their function of gas exchange. This organ system includes the following:
- The airways (starting from the trachea outside the lungs, to the bronchi, bronchioles, and ultimately the alveolar sacs)
- The blood vessels (the pulmonary arteries and its branches, the pulmonary veins and its branches, and most importantly, the pulmonary capillaries that are intimately associated with the alveoli and are the site of gas exchange)
- The interstitium/connective tissues that hold everything together, and the pleura (a thin layer of tissue that lines the outside of the lungs and the inside of the thoracic cavities with a small amount of lubricant fluid between them that allows the lungs to slide smoothly as they expand and contract with each breath)
How could diet affect respiratory diseases?
Diet influences the development and management of respiratory diseases, particularly in conditions like COPD and asthma, and high fruit and vegetable intake, a Mediterranean diet, and omega-3 fatty acids show benefits. Conversely, Western and fast food diets are associated with negative outcomes in respiratory health.
Diet appears to play a role in the development, severity, and management of some respiratory diseases, especially when atopy (immune response) and airway inflammation are important factors (as is the case in COPD and asthma). Diet-related evidence is primarily sourced from epidemiological and some preclinical animal studies, but experimental human evidence is lacking. In general, high fruit and vegetable intake, a Mediterranean diet, and omega-3 fatty acid intake have shown benefits in respiratory diseases, whereas Western diets and fast food diets have shown adverse associations. [1]
Which supplements are of most interest for lung diseases?
Supplements of interest for lung diseases include vitamin D; antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, and lycopene; and anti-inflammatory agents like curcumin. Additionally, N-acetyl cysteine is beneficial for people with COPD due to its mucus-reducing properties and is important in managing cystic fibrosis.
Vitamin D, antioxidants (e.g., vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, lycopene), and anti-inflammatory agents like curcumin have all been found by epidemiological and preclinical studies to be beneficial in asthma and COPD. N-Acetyl cysteine has been found to benefit patients with COPD due to its mucus-reducing and sputum-reducing effects, and it is also an essential part of management of cystic fibrosis.