The level of carbon dioxide in the blood is indicative of the health of the acid/base balance of the blood. Both acidic and alkaline conditions can cause an abnormally high carbon dioxide level in a blood test. Carbon Dioxide--also known as...
The medical term for low serum carbon dioxide levels is hypocapnia. It is usually caused by hyperventilation -- known as acute hypocapnia -- but can also result from asthma or hindrances to cerebral autoregulation, which is the disrupted...
Body tissues metabolize sugar to produce energy, releasing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Carbon dioxide enters the bloodstream and travels to the lungs. With each exhalation, the lungs rid the body of excess carbon dioxide. The lungs serve as the...
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas that's always present in your blood. It is the waste product generated as your body uses up oxygen, and it is expelled from the lungs when you exhale. At normal levels, its presence has no measurable adverse effects...
When you exercise, the muscles you use require more energy. When exercise can be sustained, this demand is met primarily by aerobic means. Aerobic energy production in muscles results in increased gas exchange at the lungs, because more oxygen is...
Humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This process sounds simple, but the details are actually quite complex. During the process of breathing, humans convert sugar into energy. Carbon dioxide is a waste product of this...
An arterial blood gas, or ABG, is a lab test that takes blood from an artery and measures how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is in the bloodstream. There are three main reasons for the results of the test to show high levels of carbon dioxide. In...
Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is an end-product of metabolism The body breaks down chemicals such as carbohydrates in food into carbon dioxide to help provide energy for the body. Carbon dioxide combines with water in the blood to make an acid, called...
The primary reason for exhaling before you surface dive in a lake or pool is so that you can stay submerged for a longer period. There are important physiological processes in the body that allow this technique to work. It is important to note...
Alkaline is referred to as a base, which is significant for neutralizing body acidity levels and maintaining consistent pH balance. Potential of hydrogen, or pH, level reflects the amount of hydrogen in your blood, which is important for...
Hypercapnia is a condition in which the carbon dioxide levels reach unsafe levels in the blood. Carbon dioxide is a metabolic product formed during cellular respiration. It is removed from your tissue to the blood and from your blood to the air...
Your cardiovascular system consists of your lungs, your heart, your blood and your blood vessels, which are responsible for taking in oxygen, transporting it around your body, removing carbon dioxide and exhaling it. The more efficient your...
Exercise increases heart rate, which may be closely monitored under certain training regimens. Breathing also increases and the skin produces sweat. In fact, breathing and sweat production are processes that respond to and benefit from an...
You breathe harder and faster while participating in sports because physical exertion triggers your body to increase your respiration rate. When someone participates in sports, the body burns energy more rapidly. In order to keep the muscles...
Laughter, hot and spicy food, eating too quickly and eating too much are some of the culprits that may cause hiccups. This involuntary jerking action happens when the diaphragm becomes irritated. Most of the time, hiccups will subside on their own...
The body maintains blood acidity in a narrow range so it is neither too acidic nor too alkaline. The kidneys, respiratory system and buffering chemicals in the blood maintain acid-base balance. Even small deviations in pH, which is a measurement...
The function of many different cells and proteins depends on the amount of acid in the blood being in a very narrow range. Anything that upsets the balance of acids and bases in the blood can cause problems throughout the body. In extreme cases,...
Running is a cardiovascular exercise because it conditions the heart and blood vessels. The more intense the running, the more oxygen the muscles need. Breathing rate increases to bring more oxygen into the body, and the working muscles generate...
During exercise, the increased activity of the muscles increases oxygen consumption and production of carbon dioxide. The respiratory system, in conjunction with the cardiovascular system, must adjust to meet these demands. These additional...
When you exercise, your muscle tissue breaks down nutrients to generate energy. This metabolic process consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. Your circulatory system responds to this change by both pumping carbon dioxide...
Your blood normally has a pH of 7.4, and it is very important that it does not change much. Conditions called acidosis and alkalosis occur if the pH falls or rises too much, respectively. You technically have acidosis when your blood pH falls...
Unfortunately, you cannot reverse lung damage through exercise. Exercise can, however, improve the function of related body systems, which can improve your endurance and respiratory function. Using alternate strategies during daily activities can...
If you've ever exercised, you have experienced a drop in your body's pH level, whether you realized it or not. There are two main mechanisms, lactic acid production and increased carbon dioxide levels, that can lead to a drop in your pH. Regular...
The brain is the primary controller of respiratory rate. It receives input from sensors that detect oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Blood pH also influences respiratory rate. Activity level and the presence of drugs or alcohol are...
The body is designed to operate in a very narrow pH range, which is a measurement of the amount of acids and bases present in the blood. Normally, the body controls acid levels using the lungs and the kidneys. If the blood becomes too acidic, the...
Carbon dioxide poisoning, more formally know as hypercapnia, results from an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood. We expel carbon dioxide when we breathe. Poisoning often occurs when something interferes with that process. Rebreathing exhaled...
Your body has a number of ways of regulating the amount of acid in your blood, including through your breathing. If your breathing becomes impaired, it can lead to a condition known as acute respiratory acidosis. One of the effects of acute...
Acidosis refers to having an excessive amount of acid in the blood. The two types of acidosis are metabolic and respiratory. Metabolic acidosis occurs when too much acid builds up in the blood and the kidneys are not able to remove the acid....
Russian scientist and physician Konstantin Buteyko pioneered a novel asthma treatment, writing in 1991 that, "The essence of the method is to decrease the depth of breathing by will power and by relaxation of breathing muscles until one achieves a...