DP World’s Aviv Clinics, one of the most advanced brain clinics in the world, shares the results of a new study showing a unique hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol is effective for enhancing physical performance in aging adults. The study, Physical enhancement of older adults using hyperbaric oxygen: a randomized controlled trial, was conducted by Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at the Shamir Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, and published in the BioMed Central journal Geriatrics.
The study evaluated the effect of HBOT on non-pathological and aging adults’ physical performance and cardiac perfusion, the measure of how blood flows to the heart muscle. In this randomized controlled trial, 63 patients 65 years old and older were randomized to one of the two study arms—the control group and the HBOT treatment group. The HBOT group received 60 daily HBOT sessions using a specific protocol. Participants’ cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) including VO2Max, the maximal oxygen consumption capacity, anaerobic threshold (the exertion level between aerobic and anaerobic performance) and maximal power generation were evaluated. In addition, cardiac perfusion was evaluated through novel cardiac MRI.
Results showed that following the HBOT protocol, participants’ VO2Max, VO2Max per body weight, maximal power and the anaerobic threshold significantly improved. When compared to the control group, the HBOT group also saw notable increases in cardiac blood flow and cardiac blood volume.
“Following our first two studies related to how HBOT can fight cognitive age-related decline and reverse aging at the cellular level, this study related to physical enhancement is further evidence that HBOT is effective in alternating the aging trajectory,” said Dr. Zemer Wang, Medical Director at DP World’s Aviv Clinics, “The correlation between physical performance improvement and cardiac perfusion increase suggests the mechanism of action. We utilized the same HBOT protocol that improved cognitive function, to elevate physical performance. With this, we have the potential to change the trajectory of the normal aging process.”
HBOT is a medical treatment in which 100% oxygen is administered at an increased environmental pressure. Aviv’s unique HBOT protocol, fluctuates oxygen levels along the treatment and was proved to repair and regenerate damaged brain tissue in several types of brain injuries including traumatic brain injury, stroke, PTSD, long COVID and age-related cognitive decline, among others.
DP World’s Aviv Clinics offers an advanced treatment program with a multidisciplinary team of medical experts providing patients with top-line care and the opportunity to improve their quality of life. The Clinic’s Medical Program includes an in-depth assessment of the patient’s physical and neurological condition to assess the fit for the program. For patients that meet the criteria, the team will then prepare a comprehensive treatment schedule combining HBOT with personal cognitive and physical training, and dietary coaching, for a holistic approach to patient health. The HBOT sessions are conducted in state-of-the-art multiplace chambers that are comfortable, safe and allow for medical staff to accompany patients during the treatment. The elevated pressure in the HBOT chamber creates an optimal oxygenation condition, ultimately encouraging damaged brain and body tissues to regenerate and heal.
