What If A Few Breaths Of CO2 Could Help Fight Alzheimer’s?

Key Points:

• Researchers led by Dr. Sephira Ryman have found that short pulses of inhaled carbon dioxide may activate the brain’s glymphatic system, enhancing clearance of toxic proteins like tau linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
• The 2025 study involved participants inhaling intermittent bursts of CO2-enriched air via masks, which caused brain blood vessels to dilate and constrict, acting as a pump to promote cerebrospinal fluid movement and protein clearance.
• This preliminary research builds on earlier findings showing that controlled CO2 exposure improves clearance of neurodegenerative proteins in both healthy individuals and those with Parkinson’s disease, but larger clinical trials are needed to confirm safety and efficacy.
• The glymphatic system, discovered in the 2010s, clears metabolic waste from the brain and is impaired by aging and sleep disruption, contributing to Alzheimer’s progression; enhancing this system non-invasively could address disease mechanisms rather than just symptoms.
• With Alzheimer’s affecting millions and costing the U.S. healthcare system hundreds of billions annually, this low-cost, non-pharmaceutical CO2 approach could offer a complementary therapy, though safety concerns remain for vulnerable populations.