How Oxygen Heals the Body
When most people think of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), they imagine “breathing extra oxygen.” While true, that’s just the beginning. The real magic lies in how pressure transforms the way oxygen travels through your body, delivering healing power exactly where it’s needed.
Oxygen: Your Body’s Energy Currency
Every cell in your body runs on ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy produced in your mitochondria, your cells’ “power plants.” Oxygen is the essential fuel that makes ATP production possible.
Under normal conditions, oxygen hitches a ride on red blood cells and is delivered through circulation to tissues. But when blood flow is restricted due to swelling, injury, or illness, oxygen delivery is limited.
That’s where HBOT comes in.
Why Pressure Matters
Inside a hyperbaric chamber, you breathe nearly 100% oxygen while the environment around you is gently pressurised, in our case, up to 2.0 ATA (twice the pressure at sea level).
Pressure changes how oxygen behaves. Like bubbles dissolving into soda under pressure, oxygen dissolves more readily into your blood when compressed. This means:
- Oxygen travels not just on red blood cells but dissolves directly into plasma, spinal fluid, and even bone tissue.
- Oxygen can reach areas with poor circulation or swelling, delivering vital fuel for repair.
How Oxygen Travels in HBOT
Why This Is So Transformative
- Starved tissues are revived – Oxygen reaches where red blood cells alone cannot.
- Mitochondria switch back on – More ATP = faster repair and recovery.
- Stem cells activate – Supporting regeneration and collagen production.
- Inflammation eases – Swelling reduces while oxygen continues to circulate.
- Immunity strengthens – White blood cells fight infection more effectively.
Oxygen’s Power, Proven
One of the most striking demonstrations of HBOT came from Ite Boerema in the 1960s, when he showed animals could survive temporarily with almost no red blood cells, simply by flooding their bodies with oxygen under pressure. This proved that oxygen dissolved in plasma alone can sustain life.
Pressure + Oxygen = Healing
Think of pressure as the pump and oxygen as the fuel. At normal air pressure, only the “red balloons” (your red blood cells) carry oxygen. Under hyperbaric pressure, the entire “room” (your plasma) fills with oxygen, reaching every corner of your body.
This is why HBOT is more than just “extra oxygen” — it’s a powerful, scientifically backed way to accelerate healing, restore energy, and enhance long-term vitality.
Ready to feel the difference? Book your hyperbaric session at Longevity HQ and give your body the fuel it needs to thrive
