Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a growing medical treatment with many possible benefits. While it’s best known for helping wounds heal and treating decompression sickness in divers, HBOT has also shown promise for conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
In this post, we’ll look at the potential benefits of HBOT and how it might help improve your health.
What is HBOT?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) delivers pure oxygen to a person inside a pressurized room or chamber. The higher pressure helps oxygen reach tissues and organs that regular blood flow may not reach.
HBOT was first developed for divers with decompression sickness, or “the bends.” Since then, research has found it can help with other problems too, including stroke, brain injury, coma, gas gangrene, and necrotizing fasciitis.
Benefits of HBOT
Here are some of the potential benefits of HBOT:
1. Tissue regeneration
Extra oxygen helps the body make new tissue and blood vessels. That supports healing after injuries and can help counter some effects of aging.
Tissue repair
HBOT is widely used in hospitals and wound centers to boost skin collagen and tissue growth. Two key effects help with this:
– Fibroblast activation – Fibroblasts make collagen in the skin. HBOT stimulates these cells, which helps wounds heal faster.
– Stem cell mobilization – HBOT prompts bone marrow to release more stem cells. Those stem cells travel through the bloodstream to where they’re needed, speeding and improving recovery.
New blood vessels
HBOT also helps the body form new blood vessels, improving circulation and nutrient delivery to damaged or aging tissues. It does this in two ways:
– Angiogenesis – The body normally grows new capillaries when tissues need repair. HBOT supports this process, especially where circulation is poor.
– Vasculogenesis – In severe damage, the body can build blood vessels from scratch. HBOT stimulates bone marrow to create stem cells that become blood vessel cells. Some studies have reported up to an 800% increase in stem cell mobilization.
2. Improved energy and tissue function
Our bodies need a steady supply of oxygen to make cellular energy (ATP). More oxygen allows cells to produce more ATP, supporting overall energy and function.
HBOT gives a concentrated dose of oxygen, which cells can use to produce more ATP. As we age, arteries can narrow and reduce oxygen delivery, lowering energy and slowing healing. HBOT can help offset that by increasing oxygen delivery and encouraging the body to create more sites for energy production (mitochondrial biogenesis).
3. Reduced inflammation and swelling
Swelling
After an injury, blood vessels can become leaky so immune cells can reach the site. Fluid leaking into tissues causes swelling, which can block oxygen from reaching the damaged area. After HBOT, higher oxygen levels cause nearby blood vessels to constrict, reducing swelling and allowing more oxygen to reach the injured tissue for faster repair.
Inflammation
HBOT also helps lower inflammation and related markers. Long-term inflammation can harm tissues, and HBOT has been shown to reduce both acute and chronic inflammation by lowering markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6. With less inflammation, the body can heal more efficiently.
Overall, HBOT can boost energy, lower inflammation and swelling, and speed healing and recovery from illness or injury. Whether you want to improve general health, ease chronic symptoms, or recover faster from an injury, HBOT may be worth considering.