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Celebrities such as artist Justin Bieber and former Jeopardy! host, actress, and author Mayim Bialik have touted the potential health benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and helped bring the therapy to the general public.
Bieber announced on YouTube's “Justin Bieber: Seasons” that he has turned to the therapy to treat anxiety and stress, while Bialik has publicly said she is trying the treatment in hopes of easing inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
Olympic athletes such as Michael Phelps and Lindsey Vonn also use the therapy “to seek a competitive advantage,” according to the Irvine, California-based Hyperbaric Oxygen Institute.
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Could hyperbaric oxygen therapy be a game changer for the general public beyond medical uses?
Here's what you need to know:
Justin Bieber is one of several celebrities who have publicly admitted to trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy for specific health reasons. (Kevin Mazur/MG21/The Met Museum/Vogue via Getty Images)
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is nothing new to the medical profession.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it's an established treatment for decompression sickness, a potential risk of scuba diving.
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Other conditions treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy include serious infections, air bubbles in blood vessels and non-healing wounds caused by diabetes, the source said.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves inhaling pure oxygen in a pressurized environment.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps reduce decompression sickness, a risk when scuba diving. (iStock)
According to the Mayo Clinic, in hyperbaric oxygen therapy rooms, air pressure is increased to two to three times higher than normal air pressure.
Under these conditions, a person's lungs can gather much more oxygen than if they were breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure, the source said.
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“Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for a variety of conditions and illnesses,” said Alexa Mises Malchak, MD, MPH, a family medicine physician at One Medical in Cary, North Carolina.
“Providing oxygen at high pressure increases the concentration of oxygen delivered to the body.”
She also noted that the treatment could be used in advanced medical settings.
Mayim Bialik says she uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to stay healthy. (Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
“The greatest body of evidence exists for treating the life-threatening complications of scuba diving: serious carbon monoxide poisoning, hydrogen peroxide exposure, air embolism and decompression sickness,” Marchak said.
How does oxygen heal?
The hyperbaric oxygen chamber is “a pressurized tube that looks like a larger version of the tanks they use in drive-through banks,” the University of Kansas Health System explains on its website.
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Inside the chamber, they will be subjected to pressure higher than sea level and will be breathing nearly 100% oxygen, the source said.
“When subjected to pressure, oxygen acts like a drug with specific indications and side effects,” Steven M. Ohl, MD, director of wound care and hyperbaric medicine services at the University of Kansas Health System, said on the organization's website.
In a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, you can breathe nearly 100% oxygen. (iStock)
The doctor also said hyperbaric oxygen therapy “heals wounds that require higher oxygen levels than patients can produce on their own.”
Why is this treatment garnering celebrity attention?
The obsession with finding the health “Holy Grail” has spurred interest in all sorts of cures — interest that has come not only from curious, health-savvy Americans, but from celebrities too.
“In this day and age, humanity is obsessed with biohacking and health,” says One Medical's Marchak in North Carolina. “People are looking beyond the realm of conventional medicine to not only maintain their health, but to stay ahead of the curve.”
Regarding hyperbaric therapy specifically, Marchak told Fox News Digital, “Some people use hyperbaric therapy to speed up healing or to enhance athletic performance.”
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment that has garnered attention from health-conscious celebrities. (Getty Images, iStock)
But as the hype around hyperbaric oxygen grows, expectations need to be tempered, she said.
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“Hypertensive therapy is a treatment with strong evidence for certain conditions but mixed or no evidence for others,” Marchak reported.
“That's why it's so important to speak to your GP, who knows your specific medical and personal history and can give you the best advice on whether this treatment is right for you.”
Is hyperbaric oxygen safe?
Malchak said hyperbaric oxygen therapy is relatively safe but does carry rare but serious risks.
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These may include compression trauma to the sinuses, middle ear, and lungs, oxygen toxicity, reversible visual changes, seizures, and decompression sickness.
Always consult a medical professional first
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, the most common complication after treatment is middle ear trauma.
Justin Bieber has been using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to stay healthy, he told his followers on social media. (iStock; Getty Images)
Other possible complications include eye damage, collapsed lungs, hypoglycemia, and sinus problems.
The same source said that in severe and rare circumstances, oxygen poisoning may occur.
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Before entering a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, consider the possible risks and benefits.
“Anyone considering hyperbaric oxygen therapy should always consult with their doctor first,” Malchak stressed.
“This applies to people with any medical condition, especially those with lung disease, claustrophobia, sinus disease or ear problems,” she added.
