Breathwork may boost brain fluid circulation, small study suggests
NCT ID NCT03858309
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether 8 weeks of yogic breathing practices can improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the brain and spine. Twenty-six healthy adults were split into two groups, each doing different breathing exercises. Researchers measured CSF flow using MRI and also checked blood pressure, sleep, stress, and quality of life. The results are descriptive only, so no firm conclusions can be drawn yet.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- yogic breathwork (breathing practices)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward breathwork as a way to enhance brain fluid circulation, potentially benefiting conditions like headaches or cognitive decline.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study with only 26 participants and no comparison to a placebo. Results are descriptive only, so any benefits are uncertain and may not apply to the general population.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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26 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2019
- Finished
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Jul 2020
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: \- 18-65 years of age, able to provide their consent to be in the study, available and able to participate in study activities, who can lie in supine, able to walk 15 feet, who have no prior/current mind-body practice inducing breath awareness or training such as yoga, meditation, Ta-Chi, Qi-Gong. Exclusion Criteria: \- Inability to provide informed consent, MRI contraindications, need for muscle relaxants or anti-anxiety drugs in order to tolerate MRI, history of neurological disorders, head trauma with loss of consciousness, craniospinal disorders, spinal injury, sleep disorders, allergic or respiratory disorders, major or uncontrolled psychiatric illness or major depression, lung and heart problems, any condition requiring the use of medication that acts on the brain like stimulants, sedatives current substance abuse issues, pregnancy or nursing.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States