A breath of fresh air: what can breathable technology tell us about our health?
Can we breathe our way to optimal health? We breathe everyday, every minute without giving it a second thought, but could our breath be more than just hot air? In this article we explore the development of breathable technology and how measuring compounds in breath can give us insights into our health and state of our bodies.
Written by Stephanie Tucker MSc ANutr
The Role of Breath in Health
At a basic level we breathe oxygen in and carbon dioxide out - but that’s just the beginning. Our breath contains hundreds of compounds: carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, but also volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen, methane, acetone, ammonia, and more. These compounds are not just byproducts of respiration; they are chemical signatures of metabolic processes occurring throughout the body.
But when did we first realise breath could do more?, was it when diabetic ketosis was first linked to fruity-smelling breath? Or when ancient healers noticed changes in breath odour as signs of illness?
The earliest clues to breath as a diagnostic tool came not from machines but from observation. Ancient Greek and Chinese physicians were known to assess breath odour, moisture, and rhythm as indicators of imbalance or disease. In diabetic ketoacidosis, the sweet, fruity smell of acetone in breath signalled a potentially life-threatening state, long before blood ketone meters existed. Tuberculosis, liver failure, kidney disease, and digestive disorders have all been associated with characteristic breath profiles.
In modern medicine, breath analysis has found a place in the clinical toolkit. Urea breath tests are used to detect Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterial cause of ulcers. Lactose and fructose malabsorption can be identified by measuring hydrogen and methane in the breath after ingestion of test sugars. More recently, breath is being explored as a non-invasive screening tool for lung, gastric, and colorectal cancers, with researchers identifying disease-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Breath also plays a role in traditional health systems. In Ayurveda, breath is more than hot air, it is prana, the vital energy that sustains life and connects mind and body. Breathing techniques, or pranayama, are used to influence health, mood and metabolic states. These philosophies may now find new grounding in science, as we begin to understand how breath reflects physiological states like stress, inflammation, oxidation and mitochondrial activity.
Introduction to Breathables
Breathable technology often called breathables, come in the form of handheld portable devices. You breathe into them, and in return, you receive insights which can be instant or require lab testing. Tiny sensors, gas detectors, and algorithms work together to detect and quantify compounds in your breath. Some are a one-off, others used daily, others for specific tracking periods. Increasingly, they are being linked with digital health platforms and wearables, offering feedback on diet, exercise, sleep, and stress.
How do breathables work and how do you assess quality?
There are different kinds of breathable devices:
Measuring metabolic flexibility
One commonly used method is the oral glucose tolerance test followed by calculating the respiratory quotient (RQ), which measures how effectively the body processes glucose over time. After fasting overnight, plasma glucose levels are tested, and the person receives an oral dose of glucose. Usually after 1 or 2 hours the blood glucose levels are tested again, and the respiratory exchange ratio or respiratory quotient is calculated. The respiratory quotient is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed while breathing. It provides insights into which type of fuel (carbohydrates or fats) the body is predominantly using for energy. A lower RQ typically indicates a greater reliance on fat as a fuel source, whereas a higher RQ suggests a predominance of carbohydrate utilization (Melzer 2011).
Testing for digestive disorders
Hydrogen and methane in the breath can provide insights into how well the small intestine is functioning. When food isn't fully digested, it ferments in the gut and produces gases. These enter the bloodstream and are expelled via the lungs. Paired with a lactose or other sugar testing, high levels of these gases can indicate FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) intolerances or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in the gut.
Other breathable devices detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other biomarkers in breath for early disease detection and health monitoring. For example, some measure breath acetone as an indicator of fat metabolism.
Breathable devices used in clinical practice or when prescribed are a medical device which means they generally have a CE mark (in Europe). If a device is only used for information and not insights, it can fall under a "lifestyle device", however the lines are becoming increasingly blurred, especially when a "lifestyle device" instructs you to follow a medical nutrition plan such as the low FODMAP diet.
Breathable devices for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Metabolite tracking and assessment can be a useful approach for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as metabolic changes in the body can reflect alterations in gut function, inflammation, and microbial activity. People with IBS may exhibit distinct metabolite profiles compared to those without the condition, which can provide valuable insights into potential triggers, nutrient absorption, and overall gut health. Individuals with IBS are also more likely to have nutrient deficiencies caused by their sensitivity and therefore avoidance of certain foods, for example research by Hujoel et al 2020 showed that zinc is a common deficiency in individuals with IBS. By measuring key metabolites, tools can help inform personalized dietary and lifestyle strategies to better manage IBS symptoms.
In practice this means that an individual who is living with IBS and needs to constantly read labels and check recipes, can have instant feedback on how specific foods impact their gut. Imagine knowing before going to a restaurant how your gut is digesting the foods you had throughout the day. This provides you with a more informed and practical way of knowing what to choose and give you peace of mind that the next day won't be spent in agony.
Market overview
Size and Growth Rate of the Market
Growth is driven by rising interest in non-invasive diagnostics, metabolic health tracking, and personalised nutrition. Future Market Insights says "As the industry analysis exhibits an outstanding growth of 9.90% CAGR through 2034, the future prospects of the respiratory device market seem very lucrative."
Geographical Differences
North America leads in adoption due to a strong wellness tech ecosystem and consumer demand for real-time health feedback. Europe follows with innovation hubs in the Netherlands and Germany, while Asia-Pacific, particularly Japan and South Korea, is seeing rapid uptake. Interest is also growing in India, where modern tech is merging with traditional health systems like Ayurveda.
Who Is Using breathables?
Breathables are popular among people managing IBS, SIBO, or metabolic conditions, as well as athletes, biohackers, and wellness consumers. Functional medicine practitioners, dietitians, and researchers are also integrating these tools into clinical and lifestyle protocols (Hujoel et al., 2020; Melzer, 2011).
Trends Within Breathables
Current trends include integration with CGMs (Continuous Glucose monitors) and wearables (e.g. Oura, Garmin), AI-powered personalised insights, applications in telehealth and remote monitoring. There is growing exploration into air quality data and breath biomarkers for chronic disease risk detection.
Innovative Devices and Platforms Using Breath as a Biomarker
There are a range of devices currently in the market, below is an overview of the leaders.
Lumen – A breath-analyzing device, developed in Israel, that provides individuals with real-time insights about their metabolism. The device has an accompanying app that provides personalized nutrition recommendations and daily guidance on sleep, diet, exercise, and more, for optimal health and performance.
RespiQ - Provides a hand-held breathalyser that can be used daily. The device measures disease biomarkers in the breath to identify health issues and allows users to receive personalized insights via the company's app. RespiQ's algorithm creates and analyses a user's digital breath print so that they can constantly monitor changes to improve their health and well-being.
FoodMarble - The FoodMarble Aire measures hydrogen levels in your breath for an indication of food fermentation in the gut as a potential marker of malabsorption or intolerance. Users blow into the device and it provides real-time feedback on fermentation levels. Users can download the companion app to track symptoms, food intake and fermentation scores to identify patterns.
Breezing - A wearable metabolic device designed to measure metabolites to provide personalized insights and health management for individuals for weight management and adhere to healthy behaviors. Using innovative O2/CO2 sensor integration, Breezing uses indirect calorimetry to measure O2 uptake and CO2 production in breath, resting energy expenditure, and resting metabolic rate.
Invoy - The Invoy 5.0 breath device is a portable device that connects to the app to provide at-home breath acetone measurements, real-time feedback, and daily wellness pods.
Avokadio - A lifestyle and diet app that helps individuals manage diabetes and supports weight loss through personalized nutrition plans and behavior change supported by a breath analysis device, which allows biomarker tracking. The app provides recommendations for healthy eating, weight loss, and exercise optimization and encourages users to understand their nutrition, exercise, and eating habits.
BOYDSense - A non-invasive health monitoring device that analyzes exhaled breath to provide insights into chronic conditions. This technology is designed to be simple and easy to use, allowing patients to monitor their health with reduced costs and without the need for painful procedures.
Notable Market Developments
- Lumen expanded partnerships with meal delivery services, offering chef-made meals with Metabolic Meals (10).
- respiQ secured €4M to transform COPD patient care (11).
- Breezing continued global expansion and clinical validation, with new use cases in remote patient monitoring (12).
- Integration of CGM and metabolic data into mainstream wearables (Garmin, Huawei, Oura) accelerated.
Challenges and Gaps in the Market
Ethical Use and Data Governance
Breathable technologies generate sensitive health data, raising important ethical considerations regarding privacy, consent, and data ownership. It is essential that developers adhere to established frameworks, such as Qina’s AI ethics 7-step guidance, to ensure transparency, respect for cultural diversity, and scientific integrity in the design and use of breath-based systems. Data governance should prioritize user autonomy, secure data storage, and compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. Furthermore, equitable access to these devices must be considered to prevent widening health disparities.
Some early research into air as a nutritional source suggesting future research should explore the mechanisms of the interaction of the human body with aeronutrients and aeromicrobes (Debedat 2025). Part of this would be work to define the composition of “good air” and brings into question how air pollution is considered into the analysis of breath.
Also, many of these devices lack scaled, independent validation. More evidence is needed to link breath composition to health outcomes and specific metrics. Combinations of wearables with breathable technology would provide better insights into health and improve personalized health recommendations. Additionally, future work should focus on standardizing measurement protocols and device calibration to enhance reliability across different settings and populations. Close collaboration between technology developers, clinicians, and regulatory bodies will be essential to build robust evidence, drive adoption in clinical practice, and ensure these innovations translate into meaningful health improvements.
Cost
Consumer metabolism trackers like Lumen and FoodMarble retail between $200–$299, making them accessible for wellness users, but still a premium product. More advanced clinical-grade tools, like Breezing or RespiQ, can exceed $1000, especially when bundled with software subscriptions, health coaching, or diagnostics. Cost remains a barrier to wider adoption, particularly among underserved populations or in low-income regions.
Sustainability
Most breathables are electronic devices with plastic housing, rechargeable batteries, and disposable mouthpieces, raising concerns around waste. While companies like FoodMarble have moved toward reusable mouthpieces and recyclable packaging, few have formal sustainability reporting. There’s also limited information on the supply chain ethics for sensors or device components.
Awareness
Apart from in the Functional Medicine area, awareness of breathable tech is still very limited, many consumers remain unaware that breath can provide insights into fat burning, food intolerance, or gut fermentation. Marketing is largely targeted at metabolic health, IBS, and wellness users, but not yet mainstream. There's a growing presence in social media, biohacking circles, and functional nutrition, but minimal visibility in public health messaging or conventional clinical settings. As breathables become integrated with more popular wearables and digital health apps, awareness is expected to rise.
Opportunities in Breathable Technology
1. Develop Personalized Nutrition: Advances in personalized nutrition offer opportunities to tailor dietary interventions to individual needs, potentially improving IBS management.
2. Partner with Digital Health players to provide complimentary services: Telehealth and mobile health apps can increase access to care and provide patients with tools to track symptoms, dietary intake, and response to treatment.
3. Conduct Research: There is ongoing research into the gut-brain axis, microbiome, and dietary interventions, which may lead to new insights from breathable devices.
The Qina Take
The role of breath is becoming a reality in western medicine, yet has been part of Ayurvedic practice for centuries. Advances in sensor technology has resulted in medical devices to be used outside of the clinic setting and become part of a self- monitoring and self-management trend. Breathable devices play a role in personalized health and nutrition solutions as it can analyse compounds in the breath, such as CO₂, hydrogen, methane, or ketones, to give real-time feedback on metabolism, gut health, and food tolerance. Paired with digital health platforms, they help tailor dietary choices and lifestyle strategies to an individual’s unique physiology, making weight management, IBS symptom control, and overall health optimization more precise and data driven.
Their potential is promising because of the instant feedback, mobility and convenience, however in order to go mainstream, there is a need for standardized protocols, for example where environmental differences like pollution factors may interfere with breath quality and analysis. Cost is still a serious barrier and to date beyond biohackers, consumers have not flocked to the device potentially because of a cost-value trade-off. In addition, as consumers demand a more holistic approach to health, companies need to do better to provide a comprehensive service than just a data point. For example pairing a breathable with personalised recipes, content, coaching, meal kits and other relevant biomarkers.
As it stands, breathables are not yet taking our breath away.
For more insights into the personalized health & nutrition industry sign up to the Qina platform here.
References
1. Melzer 2011 | Carbohydrate and fat utilization during rest and physical activity - ScienceDirect
2. Hujoel et al 2020. Nutritional status in irritable bowel syndrome: A North American population‐based study - PMC
3. Lumen | Lumen | Boost Your Metabolism | Lumen
4. RespiQ | respiQ
5. FoodMarble | FoodMarble | Digestive Breath Tester for Gut Health
6. Breezing | Metabolic Rate Analysis Device | Respiratory Quotient Device For Sale - Breezing
7. Invoy | Invoy
8. Avokadio | Avokadio: AI-based breath analysis device to track your nutrition
9. BOYDSense | Non-Invasive Health Monitoring | BOYDSense
10. Metabolic Health Company Lumen Launches Partnership Providing Chef-made Meals Based on Your Metabolism
11. Female-led Dutch healthtech RespiQ secures €4M to transform COPD patient care — TFN
12. Comparison of Resting Metabolic Rates: Calculated using predictive equation and measured using Portable Indirect Calorimeter
13. Respiratory Devices Market Growth & Forecast 2024-2034
14. Debedat 2025 | Are We What We Breathe? Rethinking Air as a Nutritional Source