Olympic Athletes and Asthma

All eyes will be on London in a few days.  And as we watch elite athletes performing at their physical peak, here is something to consider -Asthma is more common among elite athletes than in the general population, especially in endurance sports. Common symptoms—wheezing and shortness of breath—afflict perhaps up to 20% of elite athletes, because they spend so much time training outside and in the case of swimmers, they suffer from suffer from breathing air with chlorine.Acute asthma attacks - exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB)  - affects up to 33% of swimmers, even those without chronic asthma.  EIB may occur  when these top athletes breathe in more than 150 liters of air per minute through their mouths instead of their noses.

Our physiological makeup is such that we are meant to breathe through our noses.  Nasal hairs act as a filter for dust particles, bacteria and other foreign bodies. Obviously, this filtering system is not available when breathing through the mouth. But in the midst of extreme physical output - the elite athletic body's demand for oxygen circumvents the nasal filtering system.By the time the air reaches the airways, it is also irritatingly dry. In response, the airway membranes inflame, muscles tighten, and mucus accumulates—all quickly constricting the passageways in the lungs and making it hard to breathe.EIB is impossible to prevent entirely, but inhaled corticosteroids and Beta 2 agonists, a type of bronchodilator,  can help. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows these drugs, given medical proof of asthma.These drugs could potentially give medicated asthmatics an advantage over other athletes in terms of averting an attack.The Olympic Athlete serves as a motivator to the rest of us that aren't as dedicated to extreme physical activity.  So, if your drive is rekindled and you opt to begin a new training plan - have a physical first and listen to your body, heed its call for modertaion, and arm yourself with the symptoms of exercise induced bronchoconstriction.We can't all be Olympians, but we can certainly benefit from increased physical activity.Read more about the treatment of asthmaIf you have questions regarding the treatment of asthma, please call my office for a consultation at 866-632-5537.  For over 25 years, I've successfully assisted NYC Asthma sufferers breathe easier.