Though generally speaking, using good breathing techniques for anyone is a good thing. Learning how to breath correctly helps to reduce stress and develop endurance from ages 9 to 90. After review of the "Buteyko Method", I personally believe it to be more hype than substance. Yes, it does teach good breathing techniques that would benefit many people. For example, while reviewing the "Buteyko, Escape From Asthma" pamphlet, the cause of asthma is "breathing too much".

The assertion that one can cut substantially the need for medication and or medical intervention is simple not true. The pamphlet mentioned above is over simplistic and may cause one to believe that they have no need for medical intervention. One of the things that I find most disturbing is the "proof" that this is a valid alternative treatment for asthma. Buteyko lists "news / clinical trials" on www.buteyko-usa.com/PractitionersNewsInfo/News.asp. Half of the sources were unverifiable, but mostly just anecdotal stories about how this technique might help people with chronic hyperventilation syndrome / breathing too fast.

I cannot find a single long-term study concerning the "Buteyko Method". The following link will take you to the .pdf file from the Buteyko website where Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome is blamed for causing a myriad of diseases and disease processes. As I stated earlier, good breathing techniques benefit everyone young, old, athletic and not so athletic. But there is not enough scientific information out there on this technique to be a cornucopia of cures for asthma or anything else. Bottom line, would I subscribe to this method of treatment for asthma? Many of the techniques used in treating asthma or COPD involve teaching correct or good breathing techniques. The problem lies with (1) the hype and (2), the apparent failure to address patient compliance. The Buteyko method may be of some beneficial help to, with the exception of being asthmatic, the otherwise healthy individual. I believe in Evidence Based medicine, show me the the long-term studies...etc, show me the evidence. For right now, it's not there. It takes more than anecdotal stories to sway me.

Buteyko is without question not mainstream medicine. I am VERY cautious the second I hear about some sort of non-traditional treatment.
In the case of Buteyko I searched the literature and found that the literature sort of acknowledges the fact that the Buteyko breathing technique MIGHT reduce bronchodilator use BUT it DOES NOT appear to change bronchial responsiveness or lung function.
I would be VERY cautious and depending on the severity of your asthma it may or may not have an effect on your disease.
The one thing it can't do is hurt you. (but remember it may not help)

I decided to join this discussion to clarify some points. The Buteyko Method originated in Russia in 1950s. It is slowly but surely spread and grew all over the world. No hype or placebo effect can live such a long life. In 1983 the Buteyko Breathing Method was recognized by the Russian government, and in April of 1985 the Soviet Union Ministry of Health released a regulation to recommend teaching The Buteyko Breathing Method to asthma patients. In 1988 Buteyko clinic has been opened in Moscow, Russia . That clinic is staffed mostly with MDs, it is functioning today and treating hundreds of patients. In June, 2002 Labour member of UK Parliament Anne Campbell brought the topic of Buteyko for Debates in the British House of Commons . In Glasgow, Scotland, due to the initiative of RN and recovered asthmatic Jill McGowan The Buteyko Breathing Method was included into curriculum of 10 local schools. Jill also partially sponsored one of The Buteyko Method trials in UK. I quote -

A NURSE who sold her home to fund pioneering research into a cure for asthma was last night named Great Scot 2001. The many patients she has helped thought she was the greatest of Scots.And our panel of judges agreed, selecting her from the 10 finalists gathered at the Glasgow Science Centre last night for the Great Scot Awards 2001.

Hmm…, why would a registered nurse who worked with asthmatics all her life sell her primary residence to sponsor a clinical trial for some weird breathing exercise therapy that tells you "you are breathing too much"? Maybe because IT IS TRUE?

In March, 2002 large Buteyko practice was opened in Ireland by Patrick McKeown , who is also the author of bestselling books on the Buteyko method (please read reviews on Amazon). Not only he taught thousands of people and has a steady stream of students for years, but In 2008 one of the major medical insurance companies in Ireland, VIVAS Health offered Buteyko workshops coverage as members benefit. It is unlikely that a medical insurance company would cover a not- so- well- known treatment without investigation and sufficient evidence.
In 2007 Mayo Clinic listed The Buteyko Breathing Technique among the most promising alternative therapies for asthma. In 2008, The British Thoracic Society in their Guideline on the Management of Asthma upgraded Buteyko Breathing technique to category B, meaning that there are high quality clinical trials supporting the effectiveness of the method in reducing asthma symptoms and bronchodilator use. It is surely a mainstream medical institution saying that among all other alternative therapies only the Buteyko Method showed credible signs of effectiveness. In April of 2009 Coventry University in the UK offered a course TO TRAIN NURSES how to teach the Buteyko Breathing Method to patients with asthma. Isn’t that another mainstream medical institution recognizing the value of Buteyko?

I am all for evidence based medicine too. 6 trials were conducted to date for asthma, and they all showed the effectiveness of the method. Although they were relatively short term, the consistent results they showed are clearly not “anecdotal”.

I too, would be happy to see a large scale Buteyko clinical trial in the US. But it is hard to imagine anybody will invest into it knowing there will be no ROI whatsoever (no drug, device or process to patent and sell).

We might argue about not enough clinical proof, validity of the theory, unchanged lung function test etc, but the results like this SIMPLY COULD NOT BE IGNORED.

I would like also to point out that Buteyko Method should not be confused with any other breathing techniques as it is entirely different. That’s why statements like “using good breathing techniques for anyone is a good thing” OR “Learning how to breath correctly helps to reduce stress and develop endurance” are very misleading. “breathe correctly” might mean the opposite things for different breathing teachings.
Many conventional respiratory techniques and breathing exercises are actually teaching the opposite of Buteyko. The best advice – as with everything else, get your information about the Buteyko method from people and sources who are specialists in that particular field, and those would be the most experienced and knowledgeable Buteyko Practitioners around the world. They’ve published books, helped to conduct clinical studies, collected case studies of their students and helped thousands of people to reverse or safely manage their health conditions.

With great respect to medical profession, I totally understand your skepticism and the fact that you cannot recommend something that is not in your guidelines and does not have enough medical studies to support claims. But calling it a placebo, hype, a dangerous practice that requires to drop medications (not true!) without even trying to look deeper into the subject, and collect all the facts, IMO is not fair to the patient.

With all due respect to previous posts, why do you consider your opinion valid if you know nothing about the Buteyko method ? If you have never practiced yoga or played tennis you can't have an opinion about those activities that is particularly insightful or relevant. The same applies to the Buteyko method.
I had asthma for 35 years. I learned the Buteyko method in 2005 and within 6 weeks was no longer using or requiring asthma medications. I haven'y used asthma medications since then, not once.
Dr. Buteyko observed that many people breathe in excess of their metabolic requirement for oxygen. They hyperventilate. When they sleep they snore (which is hyperventilation) or if not snore, breathe loudly and excessively. Ask anyone with asthma if they snore. They will answer "yes" or "I don't know." All asthmatics have episodes of excessive breathing during sleep and unknowingly breathe excessively when awake.
As the Buteyko method breathing exercises calmed down my snoring my asthma went away, along with my allergies. I also learned the importance of breathing through my nose, every breath (which I initially thought was impossible).
Buteyko educators don't tell people to stop using their medications; it's that the medications are no longer required.