Why Do So Many Pro Cyclists Have Asthma?

[@justim4545]

i suffer from athsma and never won any races. but i treated my athsma with cortisone steroids anabolic steroids, androstenedione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics, creatine and EPO blood transfusions, and it seemed to do the trick. i started winning lots of races. good old lungs!

[@nathanc777]

@@kgn3779 Pretty sure you're the one missing the joke bud

[@recurf7492]

@Tintin Reporter lol

[@flyersguy1293]

Maybe I have asthma and don’t know it. I’ll try this out and see if it helps me win!

[@siftingtrutheshit2380]

So your using half what the rest of them use?!

[@TrackForField]

Creatine isnt a banned substance you stupid useless tool

[@kenrobison4892]

I’ve had asthma my entire life, and I have to say, I learnt more in the last 15mins than I have from any visit to the doctor. Awesome content, keep it up!

[@jshepard5840]

So now you have some time on your hands to learn that learnt isn't a word. Learned is the word you're looking for my friend.

[@LDam-pf6lx]

@@jshepard5840 www.grammarly.com/blog/learned-learnt/ Not really.

[@anthonyharding5]

Totally agree, my Asthma nurse doesn’t listen to what I say, and basically just reads from a script. Like on this video, everybody’s asthma is different.

[@Tangocita444]

@@jshepard5840 Not true and no need to be a jerk about it. Learnt is used in the UK and Australia - Learned is used in the US and Canada

[@MunkyChunk]

Mr S You look like a fool now. Fool.

[@dr.plinioferraz7212]

I'm a doctor, triathlete and I suffer from asthma since I can remember. Swimming was so important for my improvement since always, as well biking and running. Congratulations GCN for the excellent topic and explanation.

[@gcn]

Nice one Plinio, thanks!

[@CaptainShiny5000]

I actually almost completely lost my asthma due to cycling and generally working out a lot. Only time it pops up again, but in a rather mild manner, is during days with really high pollen count.

[@simonebottino5165]

Same for me!

[@KartGuy76]

Since I started triathlon training, my situation has also improved greatly. I've found that especially the swimming has had a huge impact.

[@gadsden472]

Same. Always had exercise induced asthma. Worst whilst running. Swimming and now biking has dramatically improved it.

[@8paolo96]

@@gadsden472 Me too! the only athletic exercise that induces my asthma is running, when I was a kayaker and when i'm cycling i've never had any problem, except maybe fatigue after very very long rides

[@Adriana.Gabriela]

@Space Cowboy could your asthma have sth to do with allergies? I've never had pollen problems, but I have difficulty breathing if there's even a slightly encreased humidity in the air (e.g. close to a lake/river in the summer, but it's fine if I'm near the sea)

[@damonm3]

I’m 36 and have had pretty severe asthma sense my family got cats when I was 7. Rather than get rid of the cats I suffered for almost 30 years and was hospitalized several times as a child. It continued to be bad for 25 years. I was hoping I’d grow out of it as I’ve heard people do...and in the last year or two I’ve gone from using my rescue inhaler 2-3x a day down to 2-3x a week and now I honestly can’t remember when I took it last. A few months at least! I don’t even take it before long rides. It’s amazing being able to breathe without medication. Something most take for granted. And now I might be in that group😂. 👍

[@codywilliams7319]

They didn’t grow out of their allergy. They moved out.

[@scheibehouse7439]

Been watching for several years, and this was CLEARLY one of your all time best videos. Thanks for getting to the truth about something that so many of us deal with (or think we deal with at least). Top notch information!

[@gcn]

Thanks buddy!

[@chrisopie87]

Thank you to everyone for sharing stories of your own experiences, I''m really pleased to see such a positive response to this video and also see so many of you have learnt something from it. The sole goal was to bring more information about a condition many people have or know someone with out into the open for all to access. We hope to bring more videos like this going forwards. If there are any subjects you would like covered, do let us know!

[@JanneRasanen2]

I would like to see a follow up video after you have seen more informed doctors that test you with more accurate tests. At least the tests in the video fall short. I hope you find out what your triggers are and what helps. This information is important to all cyclists. Seeing as how several air pollutants from multiple sources are prevalent all over. Norwegian state TV company NRK has a science show called Schrödingers katt. In one episode a presenter was exposed to fewer pollutants than traffic causes, but in busy street doses of the irritants. His blood pressure spiked in a short time. The researcher conducting the experiment said that pollution seems likely to cause heart attacks by hardening blood vessel walls. Thus adding to the job the heart has to work. Along with other issues arising from pollution. That is the initial result of research into some heart failure induced deaths in muscle powered commuters in city traffic pollution.

[@JanneRasanen2]

Forgot to mention that my boss was told he is ok by a GP. Later he was told he had an asthma attack for 6 months and could have died due to 35 % reduction in lung capacity. His asthma tests over years showed negative results until he was ordered to a week of more intensive tests under specialists at Allergiatalo in Helsinki, Finland. The specialists told my boss he has a clear case of asthma after years of negative tests by several doctors. Do not believe everything you hear. Even from docs. I cannot say how many times I have been suggested it IS all in my head. I have fed crow to several doctors by asking to test me in a way that cannot be influenced by my head. I can see one particular lemon eating face 20 years after such test that showed I got a world record for having a normally middle aged issue at age 26. The surgeon who operated me took a picture at My behest to show the medical community it happens. After the surgeon said he has not heard of or seen such a bad case. Turns out 15 later I got another diagnosis of the same accident. Two years after a third. No wonder doctors suspected me imagining things or having Munchausens, because I have heard the words atypical symptoms or the symptoms do not match the diagnosed issues. How hard is it to examine other causes to atypical symptoms? Apparently very since doctors rely too much on the diagnoses of other doctors as if they were all knowing. In other words 17 years and two missed diagnoses hard. Possibly counting. With palm face easy 100 % matching of symptoms to third (rare) diagnosis. Blechh. Internet is a surprisingly powerful tool to show research data to doctors, who are unaware. I mean of scientific medical research not just personal anecdotes.

[@justim4545]

chris, im wondering if you could maybe mention if either of you guys have experience with high cholestrol? ive just been told i have high cholestrol, which is a big surprise to me, as i thought i was immune to that kinda thing. i do about 1-200 miles per week cycling, im 5'6" and weigh 64kg. i dont smoke, but my diet is probably terrible. lots of red meat and cheese! beer! all the bad things. its hard to find any info online as it seems to be quite rare??? i was wondering if you guys with lots of experience have hearfd of such a thing, and if you have, what are the ways around fuelling for cycling? like how to avoid all the sugars etc?

[@thecheshirecat5564]

That is very, very interesting and made me wonder if I should undergo the test: a couple of times, after a particluarly "breathy" ride, I did experience some interesting haves of an hour. Also, guys: the quality of information on your channel is skyrocketing and is on par with the best news paper around --while far, far outclassing the very many not best ones that pollute the information landscape lately. Keep up the excellent work!

[@mmwrn]

As a physician (albeit not a respirologist), I didn't really understand the fuss over Froome using salbutamol (an asthma medication). It's not a performance enhancer per se, and this video does a really nice job of explaining why - good job GCN!

[@joanangelopoulos]

Thank you so much for this very inspirational video! Been biking for a long time, in my 60's, and recently diagnosed with asthma and thought I'd have to slow down my workouts. Just reading this helped me so much. I have eliminated triggers to asthma, dairy, nuts, eggs, and because of your video , I am back on track and able to push harder up hills, etc. Thank you both for this very educational video!

[@tommyb-fairweatherlocomotive]

I suffered from asthma for most of my life as well. In fact, it barred me from military service. I was determined to pursue that goal, however, and led me to undertake nine pulmonary function tests, such as Ollie performed in this video, over the course of a year and with nine different specialists. The results of all of those tests determined much the same; i.e., that I did not in fact have exercise-induced asthma. As it turned out, my asthma was allergy-induced and had improved over the course of "maturing" and was indeed helped by exercise, which at this point has been mainly cycling. I am certainly no doctor but it looks as if Ollie and I might have a shared experience here and suffice to say it does appear to be a handicap that can be overcome. This next bit is purely anecdotal and given the time that has passed, might be a bit suspect from a scientific standpoint but Theodore Roosevelt suffered from the same. It was debilitating for him as a child but through determination and hard work, he also overcame his asthma by the time he reached adulthood. Persistent exercise saw his asthma disappear and he became a Medal of Honor recipient, general American icon, and the namesake of the aircraft carrier I deployed on last year.

[@tungruffel]

Thought I had asthma as well, turns out I'm just unfit

[@LittleMissDesmo]

Thank you so much! Like many of the fans below I to suffer from asthma. I have found it particularly frustrating, even being disqualified from a martial arts tournament because they didn’t think I could continue.... after beating the girl going to nationals(even though I had been refusing to use my inhaler for months). And quite honestly that experience had weighed on me ever since. Since then I have outright refused treatment. And though that many not have been right to do. You video today helped me come to terms with my choice and that everything can be overcome through diligent training and mindset.

[@JanneRasanen2]

That sucks and I am sorry. I am not happy to not compete now that my health has deteriorated in many areas, but I am middle aged anyway. Aging sucks. Hope you can return to top level competition without DQs without health issues. You really should dig into the causes of your problems, because asthma is super individual. You also need to look into your rules to see if you can get a medical exemption to using your asthma drugs.

[@LittleMissDesmo]

Yeah I was really frustrated. Sadly that was many years ago. I’ve learned to breathe better just by changing how I breathe. It has helped a lot it also lower my heart rate a little. But it takes total concentration. Working my way through Zwift Academy and see what I can actually accomplish. Thank you for the well wishes. They are very appreciated.

[@nstrug]

Had it since childhood and unfortunately it was untreated for the first 15 years of my life. I have permanently reduced lung capacity and peak flow as a result. Believe me my salbutamol and seretide don’t give me any advantage, nor do they level the playing field. They allow me to barely hang on to group rides where others can freely chat.

[@paulstuart525]

I’ve had asthma for 25 years which stopped end 2019 thanks to been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Been off wheat. No asthma, no choking at night, no reflux, no severe acid levels, no more severe headaches. Performance and body has improved significantly.

[@amandanorth6526]

That was really helpful for me. I thought I had asthma as a teenager, so signed up for an academic study concerning asthma when I went to uni. They tested me and I was surprised to learn I didn't have exercise-induced asthma. But to this day, when exercising hard in cold environments, I do end up coughing and wheezing more than most people. I find it really difficult to breathe through my nose at the best of times so I do think there's something in that explanation of the lower airways having to work harder to warm and humidity air than what nasal passages do.

[@charleslethbridge7694]

I am an Asthmatic since childhood; dust mite, and pollen induced. My experience is that cycling (sport generally) keeps me drug free. Keeps me motivated to ride.

[@jrt9569]

i'm a cycling enthusiast & i have asthma. exercise really can improve one's well being. just ride your bike & enjoy life.

[@michaellee1663]

Hugely interesting. Thanks Chris & GCN 🌬️

[@MrDominicharrison]

This video is about Exercise Induced Bronchospasm (EIB) ... the term Exercise Induced Asthma went out of favour 20yrs ago, EIB patients don’t get symptoms when not exercising whereas asthma patients are often symptomatic with multiple triggers, although 1/3 of EIB cases turn out to have asthma. It’s similar to ‘viral induced wheeze’ in children, all these used to be labelled as asthma years ago (comment by an nhs consultant who did respiratory research and has EIB)

[@peterwise143]

This Doctor has given good advice and done the right tests etc. I wish all Doctors were that helpful.

[@willspicer9559]

Asthma has haunted me forever, but I can confirm that exercise, esp getting fit, was easily the best therapy in my case. Thanks to @GCN for the video and for Chris digging deep in this one!

[@M440iUK]

I am a life long sufferer of asthma and have always felt like it is a prohibitory to the sport I love but, watching this video makes me want to understand the problem better and get the mental barrier out of the equation. I would love to do this in-depth review and testing of my lung function but the 6 min dry air test scares the shit out of me! Great work GCN.

[@gcn]

Thanks Will, happy riding!

[@martinmwenda8113]

I am a known asthmatic as well,i have learnt a lot on this video.Thank you so much Chris.

[@peterau5527]

i have had an ENT surgeon diagnosed me with asthma for years. Finally I sorted a second opinion and had more tests done at the hospital. They found that I had no asthma. Go figure!! Great video once again. Keep up the great work.

[@tomclarkson6078]

I’ve had asthma my entire life and have always been told it’s exercised induced although most of the time it’s never triggered it off. I’ve always questioned this with my GP telling him that I struggle more in the winter because of cold the air but was always cast aside. After watching this video and what was said about breathing through your nose and it humidifying / warming the air before it enters your lungs was for me brilliant to hear! Pollutants do also set it off but not as bad as in winter. Please do more videos on this subject! I have so many questions!

[@wadewitbooi163]

Great vid, well done Opie! But the biggest surprise was the horse at the end. Came out of nowhere!!

[@drnailevo]

that bloody black dot on the cabinet is triggering my asthma

[@ChrisinOSMS]

I kept trying to wipe it off my screen.

[@stuart7523]

It was triggering my OCD, trying to work out if was centralised. "Move your bloody head Doc, I need to check something."

[@neuerdingsendlich]

what's it there for anyway?

[@n30seven15]

Good video on a topic that speaks to more and more people nowadays. Once again, well done GCN!👍 As other people have said in the comments, cycling helps a lot against the asthma problems but I would personnally recommend triathlon. The swimming part is excellent to learn how to control your breath, especially hypoxie training. Another thing if you have asthma, is to understand how serious is your condition and what triggers it. If you had asthma as a kid, you probably know already from all the doctors you have seen. But for people who were not diagnosed in their early years because of an unnoticed mild condition, it is crucial to talk to a specialist. You never know how it is going to evolve.

[@hauteviscosite]

I so enjoy these medical videos. Nicely done, Chris & GCN. Maybe discuss skin health and sun exposure next?

[@gcn]

Great idea Joanna!

[@BruceRobertson]

Thank you Chris for being such a willing guinea pig and and GCN for an interesting video.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaa662]

Finally content that brings valuable and interesting information! This channel was lacking that for a while.

[@gcn]

Sorry to hear that you felt that way. Have you seen our other health related videos?

[@jamiehay1027]

I've got exercise enduced asthma. I'm growing out of it now though.👍

[@jasonmcgrody9472]

Usually it's Si who does these kinds of science interviews. But, clearly, Chris is the best choice this time. Learned a lot. Great video. One minor complaint. At the 5:15 mark, Chris says he is doing a "nitrous oxide" test but the text on screen correctly states he's doing a "nitric oxide" test. Easy mistake. Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is commonly known as laughing gas. Nitric Oxide (NO) is used in a variety of biological processes.

[@JanneRasanen2]

I can tell from experience, that nitric oxide test feels awful to complete even with a set of lungs trained with competition swimming and free diving before taking up cycling more seriously. Being more accurate than spirometry and bronchodilation tests it clearly showed I have issues. With the other tests showing reduced capacity not to asthma diagnosis though.

[@ptsnowcarver]

Thanks for the informative video. I just went through the same test and was diagnosed with asthma. I live in Minnesota USA and breathing -15 F air in the winter tends to wreak havoc on the lungs. My doctor proscribed Singulair and an inhaler. Things are much better now. You're the best GCN!

[@gcn]

Glad to hear things are on the up!

[@duncanvincent9106]

This is so interesting. I suffered with asthma as a child. I was schooled in south India at altitude at about 8,000 ft and was horrible at sports. Back in the uk I fell in love with cycling and was prepared to suffer for a few hours after I would finish a ride with the inevitable asthma attack...but it was worth it for the love of the freedom of cycling.... over a few years my asthma completely disappeared and from adulthood onwards never had much problem. I really think the cycling, although difficult, was key to my freedom from asthma.

[@Lasermanprint]

Excellent Video, this is really informative stuff well done. GCN at it's best

[@UbzUnclemax]

Big thumbs up! I love the indirect way of support to those whose reputations have unfairly been dragged through the mud by ignorant and unscrupulous thrill seekers of modern, low quality media channels 'The Guardian' and 'Le Monde'.

[@velo1337]

i always have problems breathing when i ride above 450w... plz help :)

[@madmoench]

here you go, have some steroids. everybody should be able to do 600w /s

[@orbifold4387]

In anaerobic mode breathing isn't needed. Just push harder and hold that lactic acid.

[@jacksquat2067]

Stop riding above 450w. :P

[@prakharthegreat]

Inhaled salbutamol. 200microgram before starting a session.

[@adillathunder]

Thats already super strong

[@sanjeevchauhan3613]

Simply Love this channel. You folks are awesome. Love the work you folks are doing.

[@ishmaell]

Love these kinds of videos! Very informative! Thanks guys!

[@dominicward3523]

Thanks for doing this video Chris. As an asthmatic it explains a lot of stuff

[@simonmoses4023]

I think this is one of the best videos GCN has ever done!

[@jsquare3276]

Very good job. Last summer I started having breathing issues I had never experienced, pain in chest just below neck, no air if I went too hard during the first few miles. This clears up a lot of the concerns and confusion my doctor could not totally help with. Thanks,

[@harshshitole6293]

GCN really raises bar always!

[@ducatimale]

Really interesting! Also Chris, you're becoming quite the presenter!!!

[@AdamMW01]

Thanks for such an informative story! I love cycling and have been suffering from asthma a lot recently. This was a lot of useful information

[@manthansrivastava3957]

14:52 Horse: "Go on Chris, I am not looking at the camera."

[@mitch_smith]

14:58 haha, got ya!

[@donball370]

Great info Chris and brave to put yourself through the dry-air 6 min session

[@takane151]

This was a great video! I had asthma when I was a kid and it started to go away around 15-16. But in the last month or so I started getting chest tightness when doing long hill climbs and then I got a chest cold and started having issues at rest occasionally. Went to the doctor and I have a rescue inhaler again for the first time in probably 15 years.

[@patrickrichardson4765]

Have had exercise induced asthma my whole life but it got better in my mid twenties. I would also get asthma when I would get sick. Kept me from participating in most sports until I started playing rugby in my early twenties. Never really used inhalers until a few years ago and now I am in my mid 60s. Just had a pulmonary function test as I was experiencing severe constriction when i was attempting to run around a track. The therapist told me that the constriction was not asthma. Revelation! Now waiting to hear from the pulmonologist to see what the actual diagnosis is. Getting old sucks! Hope you find out the true cause of your breathing issues. Biking later in life helped me get over some of my psychological issues with endurance training. But I've noticed that biking for me does not translate to better endurance for running.

[@user-lu2hd8jx1x]

Hi, I have never written any comment on a video, but I will make an exception because it may help some folks. I suffered from asthma symptoms and medication didn't help a lot. Then I found that what was causing asthma symptoms was Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GRD), a very silent disease that causes a range of symptoms like heartburn, chronic coughing, sore throat etc. and also asthma. Only by curing GRD I also solved asthma issues. I am also a cyclist, and cycling, running and exercise generally can make GRD, thus also asthma, worse because exercising when not having digested fully makes reflux more intense. So if you are having difficulty treating asthma, it makes it worthwhile to have a check for GRD. Hope this comment may help some folks.

[@JanneRasanen2]

I have GERD/GORD. Have you had an operation to tighten up your lower (o)esophageal sphincter to stop stuff from climbing up from the stomach up? Medicine does not help me.

[@user-lu2hd8jx1x]

@@JanneRasanen2 No, just scheduling meals carefully in regard to training and sleeping

[@JanneRasanen2]

Eating non irritating foods helps some and avoiding heartburners a bit more. Despite using proton pump inhibitors and allowing the stomach to empty before exercise and laying down still does not help. Doctors have told me I have a vicious case and I have under a month to piece together info on whether to go to surgery or not. The surgery alone is not the only danger. Burping is limited so stomach gases may get painful and puking is limited. Sounds like a tearing chance if you ask me the meaning of what the doctors say. Oh joy.

[@theparalexview785]

Very helpful. I've had asthma for years and use albuterol inhalers (nope, it doesn't give me Froomey superpowers). But this video prompted me to re-examine my recent shortness of breath that didn't appear to be related to asthma. It would occur even when my airway and lungs were clear. I realized my core was still stiff from injuries suffered last year when I was hit by a car. Pain and spasms in my back, neck, shoulders and intercostal muscles were hindering deep breathing and after 20-30 miles I'd gradually stop using my diaphragm and would take short, panting breaths to minimize the muscle pain. So, back to physical therapy to work on the stiff chest muscles! At least I know it's not asthma when I know the inhaler and allergy meds are working properly.

[@jonahconner1111]

There's no link with asthma, but there is a link between endurance athletes and TUEs that improve performance.

[@ChrisinOSMS]

Are you on an inhaled corticosteroid regimen? I thought my asthma was mostly under control by just taking montelukast sodium nightly with an albuterol rescue inhaler when I experienced tightness and constriction. I was using my inhaler 2-3 times a day. Usually after climbing stairs. I stopped exercising because the sensation of breathing through a stir straw sucks. My nurse practitioner persuaded me to try a combination corticosteroid/dilator medication and my lung function greatly improved. My 48 year old lungs feel like I did when I was in my 20’s. I can’t remember when the last time I needed my rescue inhaler. I have started cycling for exercise and am able to do so without triggering an episode. If your asthma has been properly managed by your GP for these past years then I am not surprised by your performance on this series of tests. My asthma wasn’t managed and I felt improvement just days after starting treatment. A point of note in this video that the hecklers might have missed is that post test dilator treatment did not make his lung function better than his normal resting lung function it only brought it almost back to normal. If you don’t actually have asthma then the medications won’t give you super lungs but only make your wallet lighter, so I guess that could be considered a marginal gain.

[@kur0b4]

Great video! I'm currently having tests done to see if I do have exercise induced asthma and this video was super informative.

[@gcn]

Nice one, hope everything goes well.

[@mitch_smith]

I absolutely enjoyed this episode. well done!

[@gcn]

Nice one Mitch!

[@ginkotree08]

Great video Chris. I suffer from allergy and exercise induced asthma and the tests and air function info were really interesting. Wouldn’t mind doing the tests myself 👍

[@jaysonschultz8091]

Amazing video. I've struggled with this for years. Lot's of test and misleading advice and assumptions from Doctors. Thanks!

[@billincolumbia]

Great stuff, guys! Very educational.

[@razzwilmz7970]

Very informative demonstration.

[@jonnyw2887]

Interesting, thanks! I recently had weeks where I couldn't get to sleep due to coughing for an hour or so first. Thought I had persistent flu, so stayed off the bike. Turns out my asthma had got worse during the winter, and with my medication increased I'm sleeping well again and am back on the bike :) this has improved my holistic quality of life.

[@gcn]

That's awesome to hear how much it has improved Jonny!

[@Tronickification]

Absolutely love these science based videos

[@dhalcro]

Excellent informative video, great work GCN

[@mellowcat42]

Kudos for sharing an experience which was clearly daunting and very personal for you. As for possible gains, perhaps a better question is why do pros subject themselves to tortuous conditions for our entertainment? Why not make race stages shorter, more exciting to watch, and less harmful to the riders?

[@kieranmurphy8459]

Fair enough salbutamol doesn’t effect max inspiration volume but what about the stimulant effects? This video hasn’t shown the effect of salbutamol on other systems (eg gastric). This hasn’t changed my option on the abuse of the UCI’s TUI rules by sky/Ineos and other teams but fantastic video GCN none the less.

[@UncleBud83]

Very informative. Thanks guys!

[@1983alex]

This is a very timely video for me. I suffered with Asthma all through out my childhood but grew out of of it (or so I thought) and haven't really had any symptoms for perhaps the past 10 years. Just recently I've started to suffer with Asthma again although I'm not sure exactly why. This was a very informative video, thanks

[@gcn]

sorry to hear that, sounds like it's time to get checked out!

[@jimabbatt5891]

Really interesting video guys, great work as ever, learned a lot and I’ve lived with Asthma for 30 years! Keep up the great channel 👍🏻

[@gcn]

Thanks Jim, glad to hear it!

[@jakehausauer3697]

Watching this video induced my asthma

[@Aerroon]

That last test should get a "game" like the little cloud one. Make it a cloud that tries to race something with a score in the corner. This could make people push harder, because right now it just looks like he's looking at nothing. Also, as someone with asthma, I don't think I can breathe in cold dry air as hard as I can for 6 minutes in a row.

[@HUMPTY2301]

When I was I kid I had asthma and all kinds of allergies so bad I used to get adrenalin shots. I continued to excersise all my life and the asthma and allergies have completely gone except allergies to cats. I am now 70 and an avid cyclist doing 100 miles a day and going on cycling tours around the world. I finely believe cycling all my life eliminated my asthma and allergies

[@jordyd8916]

I would like to give a detailed opinion on this matter. As a recently diagnosed asthmatic I can say I have a noticeable effect of using my inhaler pre-effort. I am a mid 30, full time working father. Bike riding for about 15 years now. I ride whenever I can, not competitive, for about 5.000 km a year. I was part of the category of people that thought it was normal to be wheezy and squeaky after some serious aerobe efforts. And it is, only the intensity of it, turned out wasn't. Only when implementing a cat in our household, I started noticing similar complaints on a more daily base. I also struggled to shake of common colds and had a lot of issues in my sinuses. So one battery of allergy tests, one oxygen-effort test and some hit-and-miss medication later. A correct diagnose was set. Asthma, cat allergy triggered. But also effort induced. Some daily nasal steroids/cortisones and pre-effort inhaler, the effect is, to my opinion huge. I am, not shamed to admit, below average when it comes to cycling. I ride mainly commute. Sometimes Sundays with mainly 50 year olds. I could simply not coop the surges "younger" people make. On longer rides, I always was the first to experience lactic issues. I had no issues with 5 hours of gentle riding. Nor with medium effort climbs. But when it came down to aerobe efforts, I simply was not good enough. Winter training did not help at all. After a serious effort, it feels like breething trough a tube. And the tube stays there! Catching your breath after a surge took me way longer. Medium efforts felt like training at altitude. As long as it didn't get triggered, I could ride medium efforts just fine. Once triggered, it would not go away for the rest of ride. What would trigger it? For me, sudden starts, to little warm up, surges, super dry air and heat. O, and cats. Let me be clear. I do not want to make this a black and white situation. There are different degrees of asthma, triggers and effects on the body can be vastly differentiating. Sadly, I also know that for some the spasms are life threatening. As in my childhood I lost a friend from down the street to an Asthma attack. Since using my medication I have yet to have an attack. Nor have I experienced the "tube breathing" sensation. On short rides my average speed went up with 0,0%. On long rides it takes me way longer to experience the first signs of cramps and lactic build-up. Making longer rides way more fun. My average has increased by about 1km/h. Mostly because I retain my average trough out the entire ride. Oxygen uptake/management is simply better. Added benefit, my nose does not feel like a leaky faucet anymore. Snot management was one of the few things I mastered on my bike. Guess I will have to find another specialty. I am still slightly under average what concerns my achievements. I will still not win little sprints, nor any TDF-titles. But I am no longer always at the rear and always suffering. Whether the medication can give a unnatural gain, higher then that of a 'normal' human being, I will not approach that matter. Simply because I am not educated enough about the subject. I do doubt that a "lung growth" hormone exists. And am more inclined to believe that inhalers, nasal sprays, ... can merely bring your lung potential back to 100%. But are lungs always supposed to work at 100%, is medicating a valid excuse for when racing on high altitude? It is a question that is as tricky to answer as the "ketones-issue". For people never experiencing any of the symptoms and vastly convinced that all inhalers are drugs. Just compare it to altitude training. Afters years and years of training on altitude I suddenly came racing by the seaside.

[@FlatSpinMan]

Jordy D That’s a very interesting account, Jordy D. I enjoyed reading it.Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

[@JanneRasanen2]

My quest for the reason needing to stop walking uphill only in the winter continues. I have had asthma tests that according to Finnish criteria show I am not asthmatic. In searching for clues doctors have had me try lots of drugs and each inhaler helps. Heck even breathing through an empty cortizone discus helped. Actual asthma drugs sure helped for a time. The time varied depending on how bad I was and on the drug from minutes to 2-3 hours when working hard. The best help has always been spitting out the crud that clogged up my pipes. Your mileage will vary, because asthmas differ from each other and other issues higher up in the airways.

[@WillN2Go1]

The other question is, is there an advantage to using an inhaler if you don't have asthma? (I've had exercise induced asthma probably my whole life, but it wasn't diagnosed until about 25 years ago. My Masters swim coach Clay, seeing how I was breathing after some sprints told me I probably had it. When I visited my doctor, he put me on the lung volume tester and I blew it to a very high level. He said no asthma, I told him about being the only cross country runner to be gasping at the end of runs.. and he gave me an inhaler. What happened as a high school cross country runner is I wasn't very fast, always out of breath, and never got much better. Other guys would join the team, I'd be faster then them for a few weeks and then they'd zoom right past me. Thanks for doing this.

[@undrwings]

Thanks very much for going through this. Really informative.

[@garybc]

Love the health and psychology contents of the channel, even the urban planning. Keep it up guys. :)

[@gcn]

Thanks Gary!

[@danmathis4046]

Don't have asthma, so thought this might be boring. Not so. Another excellent informative video. Well done Chris. Thanks!

[@gcn]

Thanks Dan!

[@schmuak]

I am happy for you!

[@alanmtbuk]

I had asthma before I started cycling but cycling as improved my peak flow from 480 to 540

[@JanneRasanen2]

@@Axemasta The larger you are the higher the numbers should be. I have an asthmatic neighbor that blows 850! A big man for sure and an athlete. He said he went to a sports doctor who my neighbor knows to be a specialist in athletes with asthma. The doctor said the numbers guide lines are meaningless with athletes, because the tables are meant for the general population and exercise does change the numbers. Not what this video says and I think I have a possible explanation: I used to swim competitively and after retiring did free diving. I am better at using my belly to breath than most and in exhalation tests get a huge boost from squeezing my diaphragm. I clear over 90 % of my lung capacity in 1 second in spirometry when I am healthy and almost that when I am having breathing issues and months extended flus. At 170 cm tall I top out at 627 when healthy and am down to 500 when ill. Salbutamol etc. raise the numbers to 520-540 when ill and the difference is huge in the ease of breathing and how exhausted I am. Returning to healthy it feels I do not need to work to inhale and I am more energetic and lose the feeling of lying on my back under a stack of tomes on my chest.

[@anthonyharding5]

Very good informative video, thank you very much GCN👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🎥

[@cup_and_cone]

If there's no performance enhancing effect, then logic follows someone who is not an asthmatic could take a bronchodilator like albuterol and not have any gains... Correct? It would be interesting to see the latter tests repeated, in addition to some others, on a non-asthmatic and show proof there's no gain from albuterol.

[@hogdog567]

Cup & Cone that's correct. These exact tests have been done and prove that people who don't have asthma do not benefit from Salbutamol.

[@aha200971]

I had some serious breathing problems during the pollen season this year. Even in that situation Salbutamol had zero performance effect while riding my bike and zero effect in an astma test with 4 x normal dose. Salbutamol is not in any way a wonder drug

[@matkrek]

I did a big research project on salbutamol/albuterol. Generally the research shows no significant improvement in performance with these bronchodilators but the amounts tested is very low and most likely a doper/abuser would take way more puffs. I think there would be more chance of gain if they took legal but super high doses. Reply back if you have any further questions :)

[@verityviolet]

@@aha200971 It doesnt help with allergies, no.

[@verityviolet]

@@matkrek dopers dont take 'puffs' they take it in tablet form in high doses.

[@kylewalsh5728]

I've got a story about my "Exercise Induced Asthma". Back in March on a training ride I experienced severe breathlessness to the point where I was dizzy and weak. I was given salbutamol as an inhaler and in the nebulizer but to no effect. I was later diagnosed with an Epstein Barr Virus infection and told my persistant cough and uncharacteristic low pitched growling wheeze was due to that infection peak flow (PEF) was 760l/m. Months went by and the EBV symptoms died away and I was still left with the cough and wheeze. I eventually got to see a respiratory specialist and was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma in a similar way to chris. Just started treatment over the past week and in fact what I need to control the symptoms is inhaled corticosteroids and dry powder bronchodilators, alongside Singulair (Montelukast). Just about to return to training now but sadly too late for the racing season. Just goes to show that EIB can have so many different forms and respond differently to different kinds of treatment. The advice I would have to anyone who suspects they have asthma or EIB is to be persistant with your doctor if treatment is unsuccessful and see a specialist as soon as possible as it can drag out and set you back months in training before your diagnosis. I appreciate it if you hung on till the end!

[@jacobtaylor4258]

youve hit the nail on the head, i am 59, i went to my gp lots of times with breathing problems, everything took that long i ended up on a ward in hospital, and then got left on there for 9 days no treatment, said i had panic breathing problems, that was till i collapse and died, 4 days later on life support machine, woke up and to this day the good old nhs will not give me answers, my message to people is dont wait for your gp, go to a and e straight away

[@edwardo7309]

I’ve had peak flow readings and about a year now of checks and rechecks and never was diagnosed with asthma tho I now suffer with problems with fever and scratchy throat and fatigue but still have extreme wheeziness exercising I’m starting to think I might have Epstein Barr I really hope not I used to be quite fit and now I struggle cycling hard for 2 minutes it sucks

[@kylewalsh5728]

@@edwardo7309 I perfectly understand what you're going through. This year was meant to be my big year racing for Ireland. I had done all the training, the numbers were awesome and then BAM: ILLNESS. Months of misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis after ineffective treatment feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Finally today at the end of my dark tunnel after an emotional turbo session. I just want you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and your struggle will give you the confidence and motivation to become a better version of who you once were.

[@edwardo7309]

Thanks man Im glad to hear you are making progress as for me I need to see a doctor and maybe get what I probably think could be an Epstein Barr diagnosis it’s so random I can take two days off the bike and feel great then 1 day back on the bike and my legs fade early or I can take 2 days of rest and feel tired after walking to get shopping! I’m beginning to fear the worst and think it could be chronic glandular issues akin to what mark cavendish has got I know it’s prevalent in high stress sports because of the impact on the body robin Söderling retired in tennis because of it I’m losing hope of ever regaining the fitness I once had I’m starting to believe I’m done as an athlete or at the very least a fit and healthy person

[@JanneRasanen2]

Epstein Barr AKA mononucleosis usually happens with chlamydia pneumonia (heads off gutter) that is biologically a relative of the STD inducing different chlamydia bacteria. Pneumonic version is not an STD and is most commonly found on school aged children. Chlamydia pneumonia has many similar presentations to Epstein Barr and IIRC something like 80 % of carriers have both. Unlike my doctors in Finland say there is research that says that both bugs can cause issues for years after the initial infection. Trainer of Finnish top boxer Robert Helenius said in an interview that Robert had trouble climbing stairs 3 years after getting an infection of Chlamydia pneumoniae only. Despite being one of the fittest humans on the planet. I have PEF 500 when I am ill and 627 tops when healthy at 170 cm. Taller people should have larger numbers so I assume you are taller than I am or like Chris have larger lungs than the general population.

[@Fastfitnesstips]

Whilst normal doses of bronchodialators (eg salbutamol) don't seem to give a performance benefit, high doses do, by around 2% (search "Baak Inhaled salbutamol and endurance cycling performance"). High dose TUE anyone?

[@TheGinger1]

Great video. Learnt a lot

[@alij9599]

Really interesting well put together item. Thanks

[@odmineypiju4761]

I overdid hill climbing last year and ended up with asthma. Now every time I ride I keep conscious of the way I breathe, trying to inhale only through the nose to warm and humidify air before it gets to my bronchi. Useful information, thanks for the video 👍

[@JanneRasanen2]

Try a technical material tube scarf over your mouth or mouth and nose. it helps a lot except if you go fast or in head winds you may need a thicker fleece based scarf or a face mask.

[@Mububban23]

My wife has the sort of asthma that will likely shorten her life. She gets set off by smoke and pollution mostly, although cold air can do it too. Interestingly, certain brands of cigarettes seem to have vastly different particulate output. She can breathe shallow and survive around certain cigarette smoke and leave the area without an attack, whereas one tiny whiff of others cigarettes produces an immediate asthma attack. Luckily we live in a dry warm climate too.

[@johnpayne2465]

Really interesting, stay healthy (ride more) and this will help you manage other issues as they arise.

[@stuarthenderson7354]

Excellent really really interesting !!

[@tuke87]

Wow imagine how good pro cyclists would be if only they didn't have asthma.

[@minnsminns]

They'd be worse... because they wouldn't be allowed to take performance enhancing drugs

[@Fastfitnesstips]

@@ska042 Except high doses might. Read Van Baak: Inhaled salbutamol and endurance cycling performance in non-asthmatic athletes Int J Sports Med. 2004

[@robinseibel7540]

@@Fastfitnesstips: "might". One study does not a scientific conclusion make.

[@dereksmith3632]

One of the girls have it that race's cx world cup. I thought it was Neff but I'm not sure, it may be the other blonde with hair like Neffs

[@zzhughesd]

They don't!!!

[@MarcoP70]

I live in Sydney and always have my asthma triggered by an increase in exposure to pollution, cigarettes, traffic etc. I also find that the drier the air the worse the reaction. Warm humid air seems to help alleviate the problem, along with medication of course. Cycling and swimming (heated indoor pool during winter) seems to help me a great deal. Also at 13:45 did anyone catch the comment that taking salbutamol won't give you super lungs? Why is this myth still perpetuated?

[@peggymargaret4574]

born asthmatic, using inhaler and Montelukast.. works well for me. unfortunately it never left me despite thorough triathlon training and racing for 3yrs now

[@victorziegler6001]

Thanks for this vers interesting video, I hope you will do more videos linking cycling and medecine.

[@tim6991]

Great video and very informative. I have been asthmatic all my life but well controlled. I am very fortunate that it is not EIA.

[@gcn]

Nice one Tim, thank you.

[@recyclespinning9839]

I has incredible allergy and sneezing terribly in Chicago. Then went on vacation to Grand Junction Colorado. Literally woke up next day and stopped sneezing, better breathing...

[@brendavane9148]

Very interesting.

[@aaronwhiting7725]

I’m not fully satisfied with the answer as to why so many endurance athletes have Asthma. It seems to me that when 1st diagnosed with Asthma (or any other lung condition, such as I have), most children are recommended to try endurance sports to help their condition. Therefore a higher percentage of Asthmatics begin sport in the 1st place.

[@JanneRasanen2]

I was told to keep on exercising by a doctor when I developed breathing issues. The reasoning is to keep the muscles that draw in air strong so that if you get an asthma attack there is more time to take medicine or get treated. So the risk of suffocating due to the airways constricting or closing down completely is lower.

[@jonleonard538]

Information from this video regarding environmental difficulties of endurance athletes brings up a difficulty. Tour de France allows ICE vehicles among the riders and probably smoking, camp fires and RV diesel and gas heaters among the spectators. All these things mean the air is not clean and suitable for endurance cyclists. This is so poor of the organizers of the Tour and any other cycle race.

[@kevinswedlow5546]

After 45 years of having asthma, I notice I can go years with no symptoms without changes in routine or environment. That could be followed by seasons of asthma sensitivity. It would be interesting to hear the expert’s insight in longitudinal asthma cases.

[@onset5881]

Shouldn't the title be 'Why do some pro cyclists have asthma'? This makes it sound as if every pro cyclist has asthma

[@GhoshA]

Hey! Actually, I thought everyone has to face asthma.

[@tryitout-701]

They all have a prescription for corticoides steroids for asthma

[@greenpedal370]

​@@tryitout-701 Yes indeed! Funny that isn't it?

[@tychoMX]

It's a perfect title for a well publicized issue - did yo listen to the rates vs. general population? It's almost a joke now in cyclist's circles that you have to have asthma.