Research and Clinical Trials


The link between dysfunctional breathing and asthma which was identified by Professor Buteyko in the 1950’s, is now appearing with increasing regularity in the western medical literature.

Medical Journal of Australia (Dec 1998)

Clinical trial results published in the Medical Journal of Australia for the first clinical trial of Buteyko outside Russia (Brisbane November 1994) showed that after 12 weeks, people who learned Buteyko had an average 96 per cent reduction in reliever medication, an average 49% reduction in preventer medication, and an average reduction in asthma symptoms of 71%. The people in the control group after 12 weeks showed no significant changes in these parameters.


Thorax Medical Journal (Dec 2003 Vol 58 Sup III) “Health Education in Asthma Management - Does the Buteyko Institute Method make a difference?”

This report describes the results of the Glasgow Buteyko trial. The trial was designed for 600 adults with asthma aged between 18 and 69 years. 384 of the initial 600 participants (64%) completed the trial. The results for the Buteyko group show average reductions of over 90% for reliever medications, preventer medications and asthma symptoms after 6 months, which were maintained at 12 months. BIBH member Jill McGowan, who ran the trial, also presented these results at the British Thoracic Society Winter Conference in London on 4 Dec 2003.


New Zealand Medical Journal (12 Dec 2003, Vol 116 No 1187) “Buteyko Breathing technique for asthma: an effective intervention”

A blinded randomized controlled trial comparing Buteyko with control was conducted on 38 people with asthma aged 18 to 70 over 6 months. The Buteyko group exhibited reductions of 85% in beta 2 agonists (reliever medications) and 50% in inhaled steroids (preventer medications). The conclusion was that Buteyko is a safe and efficacious asthma management technique and has the clinical and potential pharmaco-economic benefits that merit further study. The researcher on this trial was Dr Patrick McHugh from Gisborne, NZ.


Thorax Journal 2006 000:1-7doi 101136/thx2005 054767

CA Slader, HK Reddel, LM Spencer, EG Belousova, CL Armour, SZ Basnic-Anticevich, FCK Thien, CR Jenkins.
Results after applying Buteyko techniques for 12 weeks

  • Reliever usage – median reduction of 86%
  • Preventer usage – median reduction of 50%

New Zealand Medical Journal Vol 119 No 1234 ISSN 1175 8716 May 2006

Patrick McHugh, Bruce Duncan and Frank Houghton, Gisborne, New Zealand. Results after applying Buteyko techniques to children with asthma for 12 weeks

  • Reliever usage – median reduction of 66%
  • Preventer usage – median reduction of 41%
  • 11 courses of prednisone given 3 months before the trial.               
  • 1 course of prednisone given three months after the trial.

Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 2006;3:A530

Foothills Hospital Medical trial, Calgary, Alberta. May 2006. Robert Cowie. Results after applying Buteyko techniques for 6 months

  • Asthma control improved from 41% to 75%, an increase of 34%
  • Decrease of ICS was 39%
  • Elimination of ICS was 21%

Thorax Journal Dec 2003, Vol. 58, p 674-679, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK

Cooper,Osborne,Newton,Harrison,Thompson Coon, Lewis, Tattersfield Studied Buteyko Breathing Technique & the Pink City Lung exerciser devise effect Asthma. Results after 6 months to 90 subjects with Asthma Buteyko  reduces symptoms & bronchodilator use

  • No change in FEV1 measurement
  • No benefit was shown for the Pink City Lung Exerciser

Dysfunctional Breathing / Role of Buteyko


The British Medical Journal of 5 May 2001 stated that "If dysfunctional breathing is as common as our data show, facilities for breathing retraining need to be available as part of the overall management of asthmatic patients” .

Articles appearing in Australian Doctor and the Medical Observer magazines in May 2001 now seem to substantiate the fact that dysfunctional breathing is a recognised significant factor in asthma and that breathing retraining should be an integral part of asthma management. The Buteyko Method is designed to correct dysfunctional breathing patterns.