Respiratory and Cardiovascular Health
Why Blood Oxygen Saturation Levels Matter and How We Can Improve Them
Besides SpO2 for respiratory conditions, I introduce the vital conditions (hypoxemia and hypoxia) and offer practical ways to lower risks
Purpose of the Article
My focus in this piece is on blood saturation oxygen levels, what causes low levels, and how we can address them. Besides, I introduce related conditions (hypoxia and hypoxemia) and provide practical tips to mitigate risks. This post does not include health advice. Instead, it is for information, inspiration, and awareness purposes.
Inspiration for the Post
As I mentioned in my previous article titled Here’s How to Make Your Lungs Healthier via Lifestyle Approaches, “262 million people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases.” These conditions also lead to heart diseases and other disorders, like anemia.
Subscribers who enjoyed this article wanted to learn about improving air quality for lung health. Some specifically asked why blood oxygen levels matter, what causes low oxygen levels, and how they can address the problems.
Without going into technical or scientific details, I explain the importance of blood oxygen levels and provide practical tips to my readers based on reviews from credible sources and my personal experience.
Blood Oxygen Saturation Levels Matter
The oxygen level in our body plays a critical role in our survival. If it goes down the threshold, we face serious health issues.
Oxygen is a crucial element for the body. We cannot live without oxygen in a few minutes. Our tissues need them constantly. Lack of oxygen in a short while causes suffocation of the tissues and will lead to death.
The amount of oxygen in the blood is called oxygen saturation. The abbreviation for this concept is SpO2. It is measured as a percentage.
Over 94 indicates normal and under it abnormal, which requires medical attention. As a principle, the literature shows that 90% or more of red blood cells must carry oxygen at a given time to survive.
Our respiratory system (lungs) and cardiovascular system (heart) balance the supply and demand for oxygen in the body.
For example, our lungs are responsible for obtaining air and loading them into our blood cells. And our heart pumps the blood into our organs and tissues carrying oxygen.
So if our lungs or hearts have a problem, we face serious issues related to oxygen distribution in the body.
What is the difference between hypoxia and hypoxemia?
NIH informs that “The term hypoxia and hypoxemia are not synonymous. Hypoxemia is defined as a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood, whereas hypoxia is defined by a reduced level of tissue oxygenation.”
In simple terms, hypoxemia indicates low oxygen levels in the blood. However, hypoxia shows low oxygen levels in tissues. So, hypoxemia can cause hypoxia.
Even though these conditions are related, they might not happen simultaneously. So we might have hypoxia without hypoxemia.
For example, as documented by NIH, “In cyanide poisoning, cells are unable to utilize oxygen despite having normal blood and tissue oxygen level.”
Both hypoxia and hypoxemia are complex conditions. Therefore, patients with these conditions require support from various specialists, such as hematologists (blood specialists), cardiologists (heart specialists), and pulmonologists (respiratory system specialists).
It is important to understand that we might have less oxygen in the blood. However, our tissues might get adequate oxygen, as happens to endurance athletes training in high altitudes.
In this type of training (hypoxic training), as less oxygen is available, the blood cells in tissues are loaded with less oxygen. However, these athletes create more blood cells the tissue gets enough oxygen.
These athletes measure blood oxygen saturation for efficiency and intensity of their workouts as a percentage indicating how much oxygen is in their blood compared to the maximum it can carry.
Other than in these athletes or people living in high altitudes, hypoxia might indicate lung disorders, sleep apnea, asthma, pneumonia, or anemia. If hypoxia persists and is not treated timely, our tissues get damaged, leading to other serious health issues.
How can we measure Blood Oxygen Saturation Levels?
Blood oxygen saturation levels can be measured with various tools by healthcare professionals. However, the most common one publicly available is an oximeter.
A pulse oximeter is a non-invasive device, meaning we don’t need to use blood. This tool can show us the amount of oxygen in the blood when we touch it on our fingers for a short while. They became popular during the Covid pandemic.
These devices, using infrared light technology, can measure the percentage of hemoglobin, a type of protein.
What is hemoglobin, and why it matters?
The function of this protein is to carry oxygen to tissues and organs. In addition, hemoglobin transfers carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs.
Hemoglobin levels indicate different conditions. For example, my blood tests showed low hemoglobin markers when I had mild anemia due to nutrient deficiencies in my younger years.
My hematologist solved the problem by supplementing with various nutrients, particularly vitamin B12 and iron. When I fixed my nutritional deficiencies, my anemia disappeared.
Higher hemoglobin levels, especially in athletes, indicate that they train at high altitudes. People living at high altitudes also might have higher hemoglobin levels.
However, excessive amounts in typical altitudes might indicate dehydration and, in some cases, blood disorders such as polycythemia vera, a type of blood cancer.
As documented by Mayo Clinic, “polycythemia vera causes the bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken the blood, slowing its flow, which may cause serious problems, such as blood clots.”
How can we improve blood oxygen saturation levels?
Healthy individuals with no underlying health conditions can improve blood oxygen saturation levels with three lifestyle modifications.
1 — Aerobic Exercises
The most effective and sustainable way is exercise. Every type of exercise can contribute to improving blood oxygen saturation levels.
However, the most effective ones are aerobic workouts such as walking, running, swimming, and jumping on a trampoline.
2 — Breathing Exercises
Intentional breathing exercises can support the lungs. There are various breathing exercises documented by experts.
My favorite one is called the Wim Hof method, popularized by this legend who also introduced the importance of cold therapy for health and fitness.
Here’s a guided lesson by Wim on YouTube.
3 — Maintaining Fresh Air
The quality of the air we breathe is critical. Therefore, we must keep windows regularly open to get fresh air and oxygenate our homes or offices.
Living in polluted areas can adversely affect blood oxygen saturation levels. One of the solutions is to use air cleaners. I always keep an air cleaner in my bedroom. It significantly improved my sleep quality. I also use Himalayan salt lamps in all rooms, which clear the toxins from the air.
If maintaining fresh air is a problem and not under control, those with the risk of hypoxia or hypoxemia might consider respiratory home therapy appliances prescribed by family doctors or specialists.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Oxygen is the most critical molecule in our lives. Therefore, any condition compromising this element in our bloodstream can be a severe health issue.
Understanding blood oxygen saturation levels is vital to protect our respiratory and cardiovascular health. Fortunately, affordable devices on the market became more available during the Covid situation. So we can test our levels at home.
By being proactive and seeking timely help from qualified professionals, we can reduce the risks of hypoxia and hypoxemia. In addition, lifestyle factors play a critical role in lowering the risks.
For those who can perform, regular physical exercise is an excellent way to improve the lungs and heart, reducing the risks of hypoxia and hypoxemia. Breathing exercises can also strengthen our lung health.
Refraining from polluted areas, keeping fresh air at home and offices, or finding ways to reduce polluted air in our accommodations can mitigate the risks of these conditions.
As a lifestyle factor, one of the most critical factors is cigarette smoke affecting our lungs. Thus, it will be helpful to quit smoking permanently.
Getting checked for sleep apnea is essential. As pointed out in a paper in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology:
“The hallmark of sleep apnea is recurrent episodes of hypoxemia and arousals throughout the night. Sleep apnea has been strongly associated with heart failure.”
By taking care of our blood oxygen saturation levels, we might lower the risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Preventing them can also improve our neural, cognitive, and mental health.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
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