Amanda O'Chee
Courier Mail, June 1996.
One hundred of Australia's top athletes will be involved in research into the controversial Buteyko breathing treatment for asthma.
Olympic swimmer Matthew Dunn, rower Jaime Fernandez, walker Dion Russell and former ironman Craig Riddington will act as guinea pigs after the Atlanta Olympics. The 18-month study will be conducted by a joint team from the Australian Institute of Sport, Buteyko practitioners and respiratory physicians from a Sydney teaching hospital which has yet to be named.
Former squash champion Carin Clonda, herself a chronic asthmatic, has been the driving force behind the project, which has been two years in the making.
Ms Clonda dedicated herself to the project after a course in Buteyko saved her from a debilitating condition on which medication was having no effect.
At her worst, Ms Clonda was on a complicated cocktail of drugs including daily doses of oral steroids and at one stage had to use a nebuliser, which delivers drugs through a mask, every half-hour.
Ms Clonda's case forms part of a growing amount of anecdotal evidence to support the breathing technique but, without any scientific data, the Buteyko method has been cloaked in controversy.
Originally developed in Russia by Professor Konstantin Buteyko, it is based on the belief that asthmatics over breathe, or hyperventilate. By gasping for air, they lower the levels of carbon dioxide in their blood - needed for the lungs to function effectively - making their asthma worse.
asthmatics are taught to change their breathing habits and take shallower breaths, to help them overcome attacks and later prevent them. However, there is no scientific proof and experts are baffled over why the method has worked in some people.
A study at the University of Queensland last year also failed to provide any answer. Patients using the breathing technique cut their use of reliever medication such as Ventolin and Bricanyl by 90%.
But Professor Charles Mitchell, who conducted the study, says they found no significant changes in the levels of carbon dioxide or the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Just why the method worked he to unable to explain, although he says just taking care of their asthma could have helped improve asthmatics' condition.
There have also been cases where asthmatics who have at first improved later crashed back and doctors have raised questions over Buteyko's long-term usage. With such questions remaining, Buteyko remains a mystery in medical circles.
The Asthma Foundation of Queensland recommends that asthmatics attempting the programme do so in conjunction with visits to their regular doctor and do not cut their medication without the approval of their doctor.
Ms Clonda agrees. Though her asthma has improved dramatically she still sees her asthma doctor
and takes medication." Buteyko has never said throw out your drugs," she adds.
"You have to be aware that, for whatever reason, something might happen. You have just got to be cautious; that's common sense."
However, former lronman Craig Riddington, who suffered exercise- Induced asthma. no longer needs to take medication.
He tried Buteyko after being plagued by asthma daring the 1995 Uncle Toby's Series where he often found himself panicking during the grueling races.
Though sceptical at first, he found he was soon able to treat his asthma without drugs. "I went for a couple of week. and, within the first week, I'd pretty much knocked It over."
