Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: can it help you live longer?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an established medical treatment that increases oxygen delivery to tissues, and it is now being promoted in wellness circles for anti‑aging and longevity. The article reports that these longevity and cognitive claims lack robust research support and that safety incidents at private clinics have raised concerns.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers pure oxygen to the body inside a pressurized chamber and is being marketed in the wellness sector for anti‑aging, brain benefits and skin tightening. The treatment has long medical uses, but recent consumer interest and sales of at‑home devices have expanded its reach. Advocates include some athletes and biohackers, and searches for HBOT have risen over the past five years. At the same time, researchers and clinicians have warned that many longevity claims are not supported by robust evidence and that accidents at private clinics have prompted safety concerns. Key facts: - The therapy works by increasing pressure so more oxygen is forced into the lungs and bloodstream, which helps deliver oxygen to cells. - Hyperbaric oxygen has documented medical uses, including treatment of decompression sickness, certain wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning and some radiation injuries since the 1960s. - Consumer interest has grown recently, and a range of devices — from large hard chambers to soft 'body bag' units — are sold for home use. - Public figures and athletes such as LeBron James, Novak Djokovic and Michael Phelps are mentioned as endorsing recovery benefits, and some biohackers have promoted longevity claims. - The article notes that those longevity and cognitive claims are not backed by robust research, and that a series of accidents at private clinics has raised safety concerns. Summary: The growing popularity of hyperbaric oxygen therapy has brought medical treatments into a commercial wellness market where claims about reversing aging and extending life outpace current evidence. Undetermined at this time.