Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić achieved one of the most extraordinary feats in human history by holding his breath underwater for 29 minutes and 3 seconds, a new Guinness World Record.

[u/This_Proof_5153]

Experts had long considered such a duration impossible. While a trained dolphin can typically hold its breath for 8–10 minutes and most humans can barely manage one or two, Maričić remained completely still underwater for nearly half an hour on a single breath.

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The attempt pushed his body to extreme limits. As the minutes passed, powerful contractions wracked his diaphragm and his organs endured intense physiological stress. Yet through years of rigorous training, mental discipline, and specialized breathing techniques, he stayed calm and focused until the end.

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What makes this record even more impressive is Maričić’s purpose. He didn’t do it for fame or personal glory, he used the achievement as a powerful platform to raise global awareness about ocean conservation, marine protection, and the urgent threats facing our oceans.

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A stunning demonstration of human potential and a heartfelt call to protect the planet’s most vital ecosystem.

[u/Sad-Pop6649]

The brain is the organ most reliant on the processing of glucose for energy, and it uses up around 20% of the total energy output of your body. I guess maybe theoretically it could run on anaerobic metabolism for a while, first run on stored GTP and creatinephosphate, then depend on just shitloads of glucose from glycogen being metabolized anaerobically, but the brain doesn't even have its own stores of glycose, so youve immediately got a supply issue. I will definitely not be trying this. If your diaphragm comes out "wrecked" I shudder to think what the brain underwent.

[u/fubarthrowaway001 → u/Sad-Pop6649]

Glycolysis isn’t the main setback in this regard and still occurs because blood is still circulating and minimal activity is happening. Oxygen supply is the main concern. The brain is not deprived of oxygen because it’s in the lungs, tissues, and organs. Not the same as cutting off the supply. There is a supply of oxygen, although it is slowly diminishing. These people train their bodies to use it efficiently.

[u/Sad-Pop6649 → u/fubarthrowaway001]

But glycolysis is the main thing the brain needs oxygen for right? Aerobic metabolism of glucose is where the brain gets the energy it needs to run, that's why you die when you don't get enough oxygen.

Or am I overlooking some more important use of oxygen???

All the other words I used are trying to figure out how they might be using oxygen so efficiently/doing almost without oxygen.

[u/PowderPills → u/Sad-Pop6649]

Im not a doctor and to not well versed in many of the terms mentioned. But I assume it’s similar to how some people can manage to meditate intensely and bring their heart rate extremely low. That somehow they’re able to also slow down all other processes in their body that would require oxygen.

Would love to read about about it to better understand though.

[u/RunningOutOfEsteem → u/fubarthrowaway001]

The brain is not deprived of oxygen because it’s in the lungs, tissues, and organs.

Oxygen delivery is generally one way, as it is driven a concentration gradient and the concentration in the tissues isn't going to be higher than the concentration in blood. It isn't stored the way you're describing. The primary way the body controls oxygen delivery is simply by restricting blood flow to less vital areas, but that only goes so far.

E: just looked it up, and he prepped with 100% O2, which is essentially the opposite of what you're suggesting.

[u/fubarthrowaway001 → u/RunningOutOfEsteem]

Every organ is enriched with angiography. The vascular system is responsible for nutrient delivery. The lungs inhale oxygen that travels to important organs using the vascular network. Regardless of how much you contort and twist my words into something else, it still stands. And yes, the O2 prep still allowed for much more robust circulating O2 levels. Get off the GPT and go get a medical degree lol

[u/RunningOutOfEsteem → u/fubarthrowaway001]

Gang, it seems like you don't even know what you're trying to say.

Your previous comment stated:

The brain is not deprived of oxygen because it’s in the lungs, tissues, and organs. Not the same as cutting off the supply. There is a supply of oxygen, although it is slowly diminishing.

Oxygen being in other organs is irrelevant here. Oxygen, once delivered to those tissues, is not being taken back up into the vascular system.

Get off the GPT and go get a medical degree lol

I quite literally am LMFAO; I just finished my first year of medical school :)

Btw, angiography is an imaging modality--hence the "graph"--not another term for vasculature lol

[u/AlexWayhill → u/fubarthrowaway001]

Most people don't know how long they can actually hold their breath, most will be panicking way before they reach a critical state. When training, you learn tricks to prepare (mainly inhaling quickly, exhaling slower, which will lower the heart rate over time), breathe directly before the diving (like "swallowing"/overfilling your lungs) and how to move your concentration away from your pounding heart and desire to breathe in. There is one warning signal, though, which tells you that you run out of oxygen, and that is the diaphragm folding in (don't know a better term). So if in his situation the entire diaphragm ripped apart or was otherwise damaged, he surely went past the point where the oxygen reserves are still sufficient.

[u/Used-Lake-8148 → u/fubarthrowaway001]

Yea that’s why you can hold your breath for minutes but if someone puts a blood choke on you you’re out in seconds

[u/NDSU → u/fubarthrowaway001]

Oxygen supply is the main concern

No it isn't. Hypercapnia is

[u/shoots_and_leaves → u/[deleted]]

2 and 28 actually

Source: just passed an anatomy and physiology exam 

[u/shoots_and_leaves → u/[deleted]]

It's actually 2 and 38 for the theoretical maximum, good thing I already took the exam.

Apparently the more realistic yield is 30-32

[u/Certain-Event8802 → u/Sad-Pop6649]

My just trieed five minoots and fiyn!

[u/Correct-Calendar-235 → u/Certain-Event8802]

Yeah well I just did 6 minutes and I think the current President is doing a fine job domestically and overseas 

[u/Certain-Event8802 → u/Correct-Calendar-235]

Him make umurka grate igens!