Celebs like Mayim Bialik are trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy. What is it?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has found a new advocate in Mayim Bialik. But what exactly is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

The “Call Me Kat” and “The Big Bang Theory” star announced on Instagram that she would be undergoing the expensive wellness treatment for six months. This therapy involves entering a pressurized chamber to breathe 100% pure oxygen. Bialik hopes that the therapy will help alleviate her inflammation and autoimmune issues.

“I know it might seem crazy and like some Hollywood trend, but I’m choosing to cultivate an open mind… about the numerous health benefits this chamber can provide,” Bialik wrote.

Mayim Bialik isn’t the only celebrity who has turned to this therapy. Jay Leno used hyperbaric oxygen therapy to minimize the progression of his burns after a gasoline accident in 2022. Justin Bieber also spoke about using the treatment to ease anxiety and stress in his 2020 YouTube docuseries “Justin Bieber: Seasons.”

“It helps bring more oxygen to your brain, to your organs,” Justin’s wife Hailey Bieber explained in the series. The couple has oxygen devices in their home and music studio. “People are going to think he’s a crazy person. People are going to be like, ‘What is this contraption machine? That’s some, like, rich people stuff,” Hailey added.

Experts told USA TODAY that while hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help with specific medical issues, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

“We have this kind of biohacking, more aggressive mentality that just leads to overdoing certain things, and hyperbaric’s something that can definitely be overdone,” said Brendan Courneene, a naturopathic doctor in Beverly Hills, California. “We really do need to think about things in a more long-term sustainable approach, especially when it comes to biohacking and aging. Probably less is more across the board there.”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been around for decades and involves entering a pressurized chamber to breathe pure oxygen, something not naturally available in Earth’s atmosphere, which contains about 21% oxygen.

Breathing 100% oxygen in short bursts can have health benefits. People use hyperbaric oxygen therapy to feel younger, reduce inflammation, heal wounds, and recover from surgery. Typical sessions range from $150 to $400, and several sessions are often necessary to see lasting changes.

Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist in New York, said hyperbaric oxygen therapy stimulates blood vessel growth, which helps heal wounds and burns. “There are some good studies to show that exposing yourself to these higher concentrations of oxygen may be helpful in certain issues,” he said.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy might also help slow the effects of aging. Rossi explained that the treatment could slow the rate at which chromosomes shorten, a natural part of the aging process.

It can also help people feel younger by repairing parts of their bodies worn down by aging. “There’s some evidence and some data going into hyperbaric oxygen to see if it can help improve those sort of physical wear and tears on our organ systems, like pulmonary function, cardiac function, renal kidney function, and the musculoskeletal system,” Rossi stated.

Some like Bialik go as far as to install hyperbaric oxygen chambers at home, but experts emphasize the importance of medical supervision during treatments.

Bialik took on the therapy at the recommendation of several doctors, hoping it will alleviate her autoimmune issues. “I’ll report back over the course of the next six months while this (surprisingly roomy and actually not claustrophobia-inducing!) chamber is my roomie,” she wrote. “Thank you so much @iha_usa for giving me this opportunity to heal my gut and hopefully transform my health!”

Rossi clarified that hyperbaric oxygen therapy cannot cure autoimmune diseases but might help some people manage symptoms on a case-by-case basis. “It’s not a cure for autoimmune disease because autoimmune disease is basically your immune system attacking itself,” he said. “So it’s not the first-line therapy for these types of autoimmune diseases.”

However, the treatment isn’t without risks. Courneene pointed out that people with eustachian tube or sinus issues could face serious problems under increased air pressure, such as popping an eardrum. Severe reactions, though rare, can also occur and might involve seizures and other critical situations, noted Nicole Garrett, a certified hyperbaric technician and safety director at Under Pressure Hyperbarics in Los Angeles.

“Even myself, I’ve done this thousands of times, but I always have someone monitor me when I go in just to make sure today’s not the day I decide to have an oxygen toxic event,” Garrett said.

There are more affordable ways to stay young and healthy than hyperbaric oxygen therapy. “It’s better to get on a good exercise routine, get a great diet, maximize all those other things first, before diving into a hyperbaric oxygen chamber,” Rossi advised. “But for the eccentric people, for the billionaires of the world, that’s definitely probably something in their realm. But for the average person, we’re not there yet.”

This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Mayim Bialik, other celebs are doing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. What is it?

Source: USA TODAY