How Effective Is Exercise/movement At Increasing CO2?

stressucks

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When I get my blood tested my CO2 is in the 21-23 range. I'd like it to be 28-30. I've been reading that exercise can help.


How effective is exercise?
What types of exercise?
Will movement in general help (walking)?
I have a cubicle job, will switching to a standup desk help?
Does keeping your heart rate higher via movement help?
 

charlie

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My CO2 is the highest its ever been, and I am doing the least physical activity, ever.
 
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stressucks

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Charlie said:
My CO2 is the highest its ever been, and I am doing the least physical activity, ever.

when compared to when? what changed?
 

charlie

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It changed when I found Ray Peat and started applying his knowledge.
 

Blossom

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Breathlessness from anything including exercise reduces CO2.
 

Kasper

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According to the buteyko method, it really depends on how you are exercising.
You can find information at normalbreathing.com

From their experience, exercise with mouth breating is not good and exercise with nose breathing is better.
The strange thing about exercise is, that it can lead to lower levels of CO2 the same day, because of hyperventilation after the exercise.

However, from the experience of buteyko practicioners, exercise with nose breathing only (or a training mask) can lead to less hyperventilation in the early morning (before you wake up). So you could see it as some kind of investment, you have less CO2 during the same day, but you can begin the next morning with better CO2 levels.

I don't think Ray Peat agrees with this kind of view, but I also doubt if Ray Peat has any practical experience with exercising with nose breathing. I've emailed him twice about this subject, but he never responded.
 
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stressucks

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quote from an article by Chris Masterjohn:

http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topi ... -vitamins/

"We also produce more carbon dioxide when we burn more calories, regardless of whether we are burning carbohydrate or fat. Intense exercise more than doubles the amount of carbon dioxide we produce compared to what we produce when at rest.27 Even working at a standing desk rather than a sitting desk increases both calories burned and carbon dioxide generated by about a third (Figure 4).28"
 
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stressucks

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winter2012masterjohnfig4.jpg
 

Kasper

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This makes sense to me.
I always feel more productive if I make math (standing) at a whiteboard, then when I'm sitting.
 
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stressucks

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That study I'm assuming measures lung output or something. Does that necessarily mean blood concentrations are higher as well?
 
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stressucks

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Kasper said:

Bleh. Seems like there is not enough research on this stuff. I'll use this as motivation to move more anyway, since sitting seems to be pretty bad.
 

Kasper

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I see it like this.
If you produce more CO2, by standing or something like that, and then you increase your breathing rate, then still you have less CO2 in your blood.
 

Blossom

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Relying on exercise to increase CO2 is futile. Exercise that doesn't result in breathlessness should not have a negative impact on CO2 levels. Peat has pointed out the best way to optimize CO2 production is through thyroid supportive measures(restoring /maintaining cellular respiration/metabolism) and boosting CO2 levels through interventions such as bag breathing. There are many reasons a person may choose certain types of exercise but increasing CO2 shouldn't be one of them. :2cents I think the article is half right in that the cells may in certain circumstances produce more CO2 during activity but the part about 'blowing that CO2 off' that kasper alluded to seems to not be addressed. I don't think it would be harmful for anyone to use a standing desk but I think it's probably not a very big bang for your buck type of situation. I'm certain optimizing thyroid and bag breathing would go a lot further in increasing CO2 and the person wouldn't have to worry about standing all day (although they still could do so if desired).
 

Ben

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The problem with exercise is that it increases adrenalin due to hypoglycemia. This leads to a higher breathing rate, and thus carbon dioxide wastage. I wonder if supplementing with cortisol before exercise could raise blood sugar and prevent this from happening. Cortisol, unlike adrenalin, does not directly increase the rate of breathing as far as I know. Cortisol IS a stress hormone, but it can reduce adrenalin, which is another stress hormone. The two hormones silence each other with activity. If I had cortisol, I would try it.
 
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Wouldn't the body increase adrenalin instead of cortisol for a reason?
 

Blossom

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stressucks said:
My thyroid function is already good. co2 is still low.
I wouldn't worry too much. A lab result is just one moment in time. If you were nervous prior to the blood work you could have hyperventilated a little bit and it's not technically low or that low if you consider the normal range as 22-26. Lab normals vary a bit. I just don't think exercise will raise it any.
 

Milklove

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stressucks said:
My thyroid function is already good. co2 is still low.

There a lot of different ways to increase your CO2 levels. For me the most effective are bag breathing, vitamin B1 and caffeine.
 

Blossom

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Milklove said:
stressucks said:
My thyroid function is already good. co2 is still low.

There a lot of different ways to increase your CO2 levels. For me the most effective are bag breathing, vitamin B1 and caffeine.
I agree milklove. There's a website that has training information that might help you stressucks figure out the best ways to incorporate movement/exercise without negatively impacting CO2 levels (http://www.functionalps.com). The site is loaded with great RP information so I would trust what they recommend.
 
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