Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Alzheimer's Disease

What Does the Research Show

Understanding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. The

increased pressure allows more oxygen to dissolve into the blood plasma, delivering oxygen more

efficiently throughout the body—including the brain.

Researchers have investigated HBOT for decades because of its ability to improve tissue

oxygenation, support healing, and reduce inflammation. More recently, scientists have begun

exploring whether these same effects may help support brain function in individuals with

Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline.

Why Is HBOT Being Studied for Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a complex condition involving more than just memory loss. Research

suggests it is associated with several changes in the brain, including:

• Reduced blood flow to brain tissue

• Chronic inflammation

• Mitochondrial dysfunction (reduced cellular energy production)

• Oxidative stress

• Loss of connections between nerve cells

• Accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and tau protein tangles

Because HBOT influences many of these biological processes, researchers are investigating

whether it may help support brain function or slow aspects of disease progression.

Human Clinical Studies

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed 11 randomized controlled trials

involving 847 people with Alzheimer's disease.

Across these studies, HBOT was associated with improvements in cognitive performance (MMSE

and ADAS-Cog), activities of daily living, markers of inflammation, and markers of oxidative stress.

The researchers concluded that HBOT appears to be a safe and potentially beneficial adjunctive

therapy, while emphasizing that larger, higher-quality clinical trials are still needed before it can be

recommended as a standard treatment.

What May Be Happening in the Brain?

HBOT may help by:

• Increasing oxygen delivery to brain tissue

• Improving cerebral blood flow

• Supporting mitochondrial energy production

• Reducing chronic inflammation

• Decreasing oxidative stress

• Encouraging neuroplasticity

• Stimulating the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)Animal studies have also suggested HBOT may reduce amyloid-beta accumulation and tau-related

changes, although these findings have not yet been confirmed in large human studies.

Mild Hyperbaric vs. Medical HBOT

Most Alzheimer's research has been performed in hospital or medical settings using HBOT at

approximately 2.0 ATA with 100% oxygen.

At O2 Renew Studio, we use mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 1.4 ATA, which provides a

gentler increase in pressure and has fewer contraindications, making it suitable for many individuals

seeking wellness support.

Although relatively few Alzheimer's-specific studies have evaluated mild HBOT at 1.4 ATA,

research has demonstrated that mild HBOT produces meaningful physiological effects and has

shown benefits in other neurological conditions, including concussion and mild traumatic brain

injury.

Because most Alzheimer's studies have used higher-pressure medical HBOT, we cannot assume

that mild HBOT will produce the same outcomes. However, researchers believe many of the same

biological mechanisms may still occur, although the response and optimal treatment protocol may

differ.

How Many Treatments Have Been Studied?

Most Alzheimer's studies have used protocols of approximately:

• 40–60 HBOT sessions

• Five sessions per week

• 60–90 minutes per session

• Approximately 2.0 ATA

There are currently no established treatment guidelines for mild HBOT (1.4 ATA) in Alzheimer's

disease. However, many practitioners using mild HBOT recommend repeated sessions over

several weeks, followed by periodic maintenance treatments based on an individual's response.

Current Limitations

While the research is encouraging, HBOT is not a cure for Alzheimer's disease, nor is it currently

considered a standard medical treatment.

The existing evidence suggests HBOT may help support brain function and quality of life for some

individuals, but larger, well-designed clinical trials are still needed to determine which patients are

most likely to benefit, the optimal treatment pressure, the ideal number of sessions, and how long

improvements may last.

HBOT should be viewed as a supportive therapy that may complement—not replace—appropriate

medical care.

Key Takeaways

✓ Improve cerebral blood flow

✓ Support healthy brain metabolism

✓ Reduce inflammation and oxidative stress

✓ Promote neuroplasticity

✓ Improve cognitive testing scores in some studies

✓ Support daily function in some individuals with Alzheimer's diseaseWhile additional research is still needed, HBOT represents one of the more promising emerging

areas of investigation for supporting individuals with Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive

decline.

References

1. Chen, Y., et al. (2024). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic

Review and Meta-Analysis.

2. Hadanny, A., & Efrati, S. (2020). The Hyperoxic-Hypoxic Paradox. Biomolecules, 10(6), 958.

3. Hadanny, A., et al. (2022). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Brain Aging: From Mechanisms to

Therapeutics. Aging.

4. Boussi-Gross, R., et al. (2013). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Can Improve Post-Concussion

Syndrome Years After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e79995.

5. Efrati, S., & Ben-Jacob, E. (2014). Reflections on the Hyperbaric Oxygen Paradox. Medical

Hypotheses, 83(4), 355–358.

6. Harch, P. G. (2015). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Global Brain Injury. Neurology Research

International.

7. Boussi-Gross, R., et al. (2020). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Increases Cerebral Blood Flow and

Improves Cognitive Performance in Healthy Older Adults.