Carbon dioxide is acidic. When you hyperventilate, you are basically blowing out a ton of carbon dioxide. Since you are blowing out a ton of carbon dioxide, you are getting rid of a whole lot of acid in your body and making your body generally more basic, or alkalitic (like lye or baking soda). This leads to what’s called respiratory alkalosis.
This is why, when you hyperventilate, someone will hand you a brown paper bag to breathe into. This will effectively make you re-breathe all that carbon dioxide you are getting rid of, thereby bringing your body back into the correct acid-base state.
This is also why, if you attempt to hold your breath forever, you will pass out — the body’s way of saying, “Whoa nellie, let’s get ourselves back into a better acid-base state.”
Good times!
Isn’t that great? The paper bag thing is for real! I was also excited to put together that the reason one feels so jittery after hyperventilating is the alkalosis (possibly also some norepinepherine, I suppose).
I love patho.
Hehe, isn’t it great when things start coming together? I suppose this is what we have to look forward to for the next … oh … 25 years.
Welcome back, Medical Fact of the Day! I missed you!