Key Takeaway
The paranasal sinuses produce high concentrations of nitric oxide, which is inhaled during nasal breathing and improves oxygen uptake in the lungs.
Summary
This foundational study demonstrated that the paranasal sinuses continuously produce nitric oxide (NO) at remarkably high concentrations. When breathing through the nose, this NO is carried into the lungs where it acts as a vasodilator, improving blood flow and oxygen uptake.
Mouth breathing bypasses this NO delivery mechanism entirely. The study showed that nasal breathing can improve arterial oxygenation by 10-15% compared to mouth breathing due to this NO effect.
This research established the scientific basis for why nasal breathing is physiologically superior to mouth breathing.
Methods
- Measured NO concentrations in paranasal sinuses
- Compared nasal vs oral breathing oxygenation
- Assessed pulmonary blood flow with nasal NO
Key Results
- Sinuses produce high NO concentrations
- Nasal breathing delivers NO to lungs
- 10-15% improvement in oxygen uptake
- NO acts as pulmonary vasodilator
Limitations
- Small sample size
- Acute measurements only
- Did not study sleep specifically