Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Episodes covering hyperbaric oxygen therapy (hbot) — protocols, research, and expert discussions.
Breathing pure oxygen at elevated pressure to enhance healing, reverse aging markers, and improve brain function
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most promising, and most expensive, longevity interventions available. The landmark 2020 Israeli study showed 60 sessions increased telomere length by 20-38% and decreased senescent cells by up to 37%, effects that no other intervention has matched.
For FDA-approved conditions (wound healing, decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning), the evidence is strong. For newer applications like TBI, long COVID, and anti-aging, evidence is building rapidly with multiple RCTs showing benefits.
The challenge is access and cost. Clinical sessions run $100-300 each, and optimal protocols require 40-60 sessions. Home chambers ($5,000-15,000) are limited to 1.3-1.5 ATA vs. clinical 2.0-2.4 ATA.
If you have chronic issues that haven't responded to other treatments, or you're serious about longevity and have the budget, HBOT is worth exploring. The telomere and senescent cell data is remarkable, though we await long-term outcome studies.
Science & Mechanisms
How HBOT Works:
At sea level, we breathe 21% oxygen at 1 atmosphere (ATA) of pressure. HBOT involves breathing 100% oxygen at 1.5-3.0 ATA, dramatically increasing oxygen dissolved in blood plasma.
Key Mechanisms:
1. Hyperoxia-Hypoxia Paradox - Repeated cycles of high oxygen create a "relative hypoxia" when returning to normal conditions, triggering regenerative pathways normally activated by low oxygen:
- HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor) expression
- VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)
- Stem cell mobilization
2. Telomere Lengthening - The 2020 Hachmo study showed:
- T helper cells: +20% telomere length
- T cytotoxic cells: +25% telomere length
- Natural killer cells: +38% telomere length
- B cells: +29% telomere length
3. Senescent Cell Clearance - Same study showed:
- T helper senescent cells: -37%
- T cytotoxic senescent cells: -11%
4. Neuroplasticity & Angiogenesis
- Increases cerebral blood flow
- Stimulates new blood vessel formation
- Enhances mitochondrial function in neurons
- Reduces neuroinflammation
Pressure Matters:
| Pressure | Application |
|---|---|
| 1.3-1.5 ATA | Home chambers, mild HBOT |
| 1.5-2.0 ATA | Soft tissue healing, brain injury |
| 2.0-2.4 ATA | Wound healing, infections |
| 2.4-3.0 ATA | Decompression sickness, CO poisoning |
Episodes
Dr. Scott Sherr shares his insights and research on hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and why combining oxygen with pressure is so beneficial for the human body. The discussion e...
Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author, to explore how the brain's immune cells — microgli...
Dr. Greg Dennis interviews Dr. Jason Sonners, author of "Oxygen Under Pressure" and operator of hyperbaric clinics in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Dr. Sonners shares his persona...
Cait, host of Into the Light, shares her personal experience operating InLight Hyperbarics and her passion for making HBOT accessible. She introduces the basics of hyperbaric ox...
Ari Whitten interviews Dr. Scott Sherr, a board-certified internal medicine physician specializing in health optimization medicine and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Dr. Sherr provi...
Dr. David Jockers interviews Dr. Amir Hadanny, a neurosurgeon and chief medical research officer at Aviv Clinics, about the science and clinical applications of hyperbaric oxyge...
Dr. Mercola interviews Dr. Jason Sonners, a chiropractor and hyperbaric medicine practitioner who has been running HBOT clinics for over a decade. They cover the fundamental phy...
Dr. Mercola reconnects with Dr. Jason Sonners for a follow-up discussion on hyperbaric oxygen therapy, with Sonners now pursuing a PhD focused on regenerative medicine and hyper...
Dr. Amir Hadanny, a neurosurgeon and Harvard research fellow specializing in hyperbaric medicine and bioinformatics, joins the Recovery After Stroke podcast to discuss his pione...
Dr. TJ Williams of the Institute of Natural Health introduces hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in this first of a two-part series. He explains why HBOT remains underutilized in ...
In this second part of the HBOT series, Dr. TJ Williams dives deeper into the science and clinical applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. He recaps Dr. Godman's research sho...
Kim Greenhouse interviews Dr. Donald Jolly-Gabriel, a renowned hyperbaric medicine expert based at the Center for New Medicine Hyperbaric Institute in Irvine, California. Dr. Jo...
Dr. Michael Ruscio interviews Dr. Scott Sherr, a board-certified internal medicine physician certified in hyperbaric oxygen therapy, about the science, applications, and practic...
Amy Studdle interviews Dr. Zayd Ratansi (Dr. Z), a licensed naturopathic physician and global authority on hyperbaric, biooxidative, and environmental medicine, with 23 years of...
Dr. Paul Anderson interviews Dr. Jason Sonners, a chiropractor and hyperbaric oxygen therapy specialist, about how HBOT works and its wide-ranging health applications. The conve...