What’s Your Lung Capacity by Age?

August 01 2024, by Aussie Pharma Direct, 10 min reading time

Our lungs are the silent heroes of our existence. They work tirelessly, taking in life-giving oxygen with every inhale and expelling waste products with each exhale. This constant exchange of gases is what keeps us alive and thriving. But how do we know if our lungs are functioning at their peak?

One way to gauge your lung health is by measuring your lung capacity. This refers to the total amount of air your lungs can hold and how quickly you can expel it. Many factors can influence lung capacity, and in this blog, we'll be focusing on one of the biggest: age.

As we travel through life, our bodies, including our lungs, undergo changes. We'll explore how age, along with a myriad of other factors, affects how well our lungs work, and why this knowledge is crucial for assessing your overall respiratory health.

What is lung capacity?

Lung capacity refers to the maximum amount of air that your lungs can hold. It's a vital measure of respiratory health, reflecting the efficiency with which your lungs can exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide during breathing. Understanding lung capacity involves delving into its various components, each playing a unique role in the breathing process:

Tidal Volume (TV) - Tidal volume represents the volume of air inspired or expired during normal breathing—essentially, the amount of air you inhale and exhale with each breath at rest.
Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV) - The inspiratory reserve volume refers to the additional volume of air that can be inhaled beyond the tidal volume when you take a deep breath in.
Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV) - Conversely, the expiratory reserve volume is the extra volume of air that can be exhaled beyond the tidal volume when you forcefully exhale after a normal breath out.

Residual Volume (RV) - The residual volume represents the amount of air that remains in your lungs even after maximal expiration. It's essential for maintaining lung function and preventing lung collapse.

Factors affecting lung capacity

Lung capacity typically increases throughout childhood and adolescence, peaking in early adulthood, and gradually declines with age. While age is a significant influence, it's not the only factor that plays a role in lung capacity. Several other aspects contribute to how well your lungs function, including:

Gender
Height and weight
Ethnicity
Physical activity level
Smoking habits
Exposure to air pollutants
Certain medical conditions (asthma, bronchitis etc.)

Understanding lung capacity across age groups

Understanding how lung capacity changes throughout life is crucial for two main reasons. Firstly, it serves as a baseline for assessing respiratory health. Knowing the typical lung capacity for your age group allows healthcare professionals to identify any significant deviations that might indicate underlying issues. Secondly, recognising age-related changes in lung function helps us anticipate and manage potential challenges.

Let's take a closer look at how lung capacity changes across life's stages:

Childhood (Birth - Adolescence) - Lung capacity steadily increases throughout childhood and adolescence as the body grows and develops. This growth coincides with an increase in muscle mass and physical activity levels, both of which contribute to stronger respiratory muscles and more efficient lungs.

Young adulthood (20s - 30s) - During this period, lung capacity typically reaches its peak. Regular physical activity can help maintain optimal lung function throughout these years.

Middle adulthood (40s - 50s) - As we enter middle age, lung capacity begins to decline naturally. This decline is gradual and may be influenced by factors like smoking, weight gain, and a decrease in physical activity.

Later adulthood (60s and beyond) - The decline in lung capacity becomes more pronounced in later adulthood. This can make individuals more susceptible to respiratory infections and shortness of breath during exertion.

How is lung capacity measured?

The primary tool for measuring lung capacity is a test called spirometry. During spirometry, you'll breathe into a mouthpiece connected to a machine called a spirometer. The machine measures the volume and speed of air you inhale and exhale. This provides valuable data points like Vital Capacity (VC), the maximum amount of air you can forcefully exhale after a full inhale, which helps assess your lung function.

The average lung capacity for healthy adults is about 6 litres. That is the maximum amount of air your lungs can hold.

Below are the typical ranges of lung capacity by age and gender.

Age group	Lung capacity
Age group	Male	Female
Infancy & childhood	10-30 millilitres per kilogram of body weight
Young adulthood	4 - 6 litres	3 - 4 litres
Middle adulthood	4 - 6 litres	3 - 4 litres
Later adulthood	3 - 5 litres	2 - 3 litres

How ageing affects lung function and capacity

While ageing is a natural part of life, it comes with a gradual decline in the efficiency of many bodily functions, including our lungs. This decline in lung function manifests as a decrease in lung capacity, making it harder to breathe deeply and perform strenuous activities. But what exactly happens within our lungs as we age that leads to this reduced capacity?

Several physiological changes occur within the lungs as we age, leading to a decrease in lung function and capacity. Here are some key changes:

Decreased elasticity of lung tissue - The lungs are composed of tiny air sacs called alveoli. These alveoli are like tiny balloons that expand and contract during breathing. With age, the elastin fibers that give the alveoli their elasticity weaken and stiffen. This makes it harder for the lungs to expand fully during inhalation, reducing the total amount of air they can hold.

Weakening of respiratory muscles - The diaphragm, the primary muscle responsible for breathing, weakens with age. This decrease in strength makes it harder to take deep breaths and effectively expel air from the lungs, further impacting lung capacity.

Loss of recoil force - As the elastin fibers weaken, the lungs lose their natural recoil force, which helps them spring back after each inhalation. This can lead to air trapping in the lungs, making it harder to fully empty them during exhalation.

Changes in chest wall structure - The chest wall, formed by ribs and cartilage, becomes stiffer with age. This reduced flexibility can further restrict lung expansion and decrease lung capacity.

These age-related changes in lung structure and function collectively lead to a decline in lung capacity. This reduced capacity translates to several challenges in the respiratory system:

Shortness of breath
Reduced exercise tolerance
Increased susceptibility to infections
Slower recovery from illness

Tips for maintaining healthy lung capacity

Whether you're in your prime of life or enjoying your golden years, incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle can help preserve lung function and prevent respiratory issues. Here are some practical tips and strategies for maintaining healthy lung capacity across all age groups:

Regular physical activity

Engage in regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, to strengthen respiratory muscles and improve lung function.

Incorporate strength training exercises to enhance overall muscle tone and endurance, including muscles involved in breathing.

Avoid smoking and reduce exposure to pollutants

Refrain from smoking or using tobacco products, as smoking is the leading cause of lung disease and significantly reduces lung capacity.

Minimise exposure to environmental pollutants, such as air pollution, secondhand smoke, and industrial chemicals, which can damage lung tissue and impair respiratory function.

Maintain a healthy weight

Maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to support overall health and maintain a healthy weight.

Avoid excessive weight gain or obesity, as excess body weight can put strain on the lungs and decrease lung capacity.

Practise good respiratory hygiene

Practise deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing or pursed lip breathing, to improve lung function and increase lung capacity. You can actually use AirPhysio to further optimise your breathing exercises.

AirPhysio is an Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) device designed to assist with respiratory hygiene and lung expansion. It works by creating positive pressure within the lungs during exhalation, helping to keep the airways open and mobilise mucus trapped in the lungs. By using AirPhysio regularly, individuals can enhance their lung function, clear excess mucus, and improve overall respiratory health.

Practise good respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and regularly washing your hands to prevent the spread of respiratory infections.

Regular health check-ups

Schedule regular health check-ups with your healthcare provider to monitor lung function and assess respiratory health.

Discuss any respiratory symptoms or concerns with your healthcare provider promptly, as early detection and treatment of respiratory issues can help prevent complications and preserve lung function.

Conclusion

It's important to note that the rate of decline in lung function can vary greatly between individuals. Factors like smoking, genetics, and overall health can significantly influence the severity of these age-related changes, however, by understanding these changes and taking steps to maintain lung health, we can minimise their impact and promote optimal respiratory function throughout life.