More energy: why so many people end up at oxygen
Everyone wants more energy. What oxygen has to do with your energy, what research measured, and why Bryan Johnson filmed his own HBOT experiment.
Ask ten people what they would like to improve and "more energy" is likely to top the list. Not just athletes, but entrepreneurs, parents with a packed schedule and anyone who hits an afternoon slump. More and more of them end up looking at oxygen. Why?
Energy starts in your cells
Every cell in your body has tiny power plants: the mitochondria. They turn oxygen and nutrients into ATP, the fuel your muscles, organs and brain run on. No oxygen, no energy. Your brain alone uses about a fifth of all the oxygen you breathe in.
That is why people who want more energy look not only at sleep, food and exercise, but at their oxygen supply itself.
Three ways oxygen is used
- Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT). In a pressure chamber, the amount of oxygen dissolved in your blood rises. A session is an hour of rest: lie or sit, read or watch a film.
- IHHT. Through a mask you alternate oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich air, a training stimulus for the same energy system while you sit back.
- Hydrogen inhalation. Athletes use molecular hydrogen around effort and fatigue.
What research measured
In a randomised, blinded trial in healthy master athletes aged 40 to 50, forty HBOT sessions were compared with a sham protocol. The HBOT group showed a higher VO2max, together with changes in mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial mass. A systematic review of intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia describes effects on performance and health-related outcomes, and in healthy men, inhaling hydrogen-rich gas before exercise reduced fatigue.
You will find these studies with source and summary on our theme page More energy and in the research library.
Bryan Johnson's experiment
The topic got a huge boost from Bryan Johnson, the entrepreneur known for his longevity programme. He tested 60 HBOT sessions in 90 days and shared his measurements in a video on his own YouTube channel: This Machine Made Me Younger. It is his personal experiment; watch it for inspiration and read the research alongside it.
A session says more than an article. Our showroom in Goes, the Netherlands, has many of our systems set up and running. Plan a visit or browse all themes.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Experiences differ from person to person; always consult your doctor about health complaints.
