New research from UBC Okanagan's   examines what makes northern elephant seals better than humans at holding their breath. 

鈥淥ur study highlights key physiological traits in seals that could inspire new information and treatments for conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute pulmonary edema,鈥� says Courtney Brown, the Ph.D student who led the research. 

Many lung diseases involve blood-gas imbalances similar to when people hold their breath, making elephant seals 鈥� one of nature's ultimate breath holders 鈥� an excellent subject. 

For the study, the team of researchers captured three juvenile elephant seals from a beach in California, conducted tests and re-released them to their colony after no more than 6 hours. The 14 human participants, all elite free divers, signed a waiver. 

Seal-ly good divers

In free diving, a sport where people swim as deep as they can under water on one breath of air, elite free divers can hold their breath 10 minutes after years of rigorous training. By contrast, northern elephant seals practically live underwater, taking up to 90 minutes between breaths. 

By studying highly conditioned divers (elite free-diving humans) and highly adapted divers (northern elephant seals), Brown investigated which traits are fundamentally mammalian and which may have been selected to better understand areas of future treatment. 

Who knew? It's the CO2

Contrary to what many expect, when people hold their breath the limiting factor is typically not a lack of oxygen, but instead the build up of carbon dioxide(CO2), within the body.

Simply put, all animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out CO2. Inside a healthy body, lungs are constantly hard at work exchanging oxygen for CO2 in the blood. 

Under regular conditions, when CO2 builds up, a person will have an urge to exhale. If not, an accumulation of the molecules will cause blood pH levels to drop, making it acidic which is unhealthy for long periods of time.

Some people with lung diseases experience chronic acidosis, which can cause an array of health concerns like an accelerated heart rate, fainting and dizziness. 

Most healthy people will experience the opposite phenomenon and actually raise their blood pH by hyperventilating. When a person hyperventilates they exhale too much CO2, causing the blood pH to rise, making the individual feel dizzy.

Research that will take your breath away 

As you would expect, humans and seals have significantly different physiological responses to holding their breath. 

Northern elephant seals have exceptional pH buffering abilities, meaning that when seals hold their breath their bodies can slow the change in blood pH and stay in a normal range for longer. This phenomenon is completed by a series of mechanisms working together and requires additional research but is likely caused by the high concentrations of plasma proteins in the seal's blood. 

By analyzing blood samples from elite divers and seals, Brown also found that elephant seals have high levels of hemoglobin attached to carbon monoxide, rather than oxygen. 

This specialized adaptation is one of the pieces of the puzzle that allows seals to dive for extended periods without the adverse effects experienced by humans, which includes cell damage from oxidative stress. 

Making waves in pulmonary research

鈥淏y understanding how seals keep their blood stable during long dives, we might find new ways to help patients with respiratory conditions and improve their quality of life,鈥� said Brown.

To read Brown's research paper visit the