Deep breaths are always a good idea while exercising. And a treatment discovered in the 1960s—now popular with elite athletes and fitness buffs—takes that notion to an extreme.
Exercise with oxygen therapy (EWOT) delivers highly concentrated oxygen during physical activity to “increase your performance, heighten your energy levels and detoxify as well,” said Sudev Rajah, CEO of North Carolina-based Optimal Breathing, which supplies gyms, clinics and home gyms with EWOT equipment. The regimen was conceived by German scientist Manfred von Ardenne, who found enhanced oxygen intake helped relieve symptoms for cancer patients.
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“Put simply, EWOT is a wellness method that involves breathing high concentrations of oxygen while exercising,” Rajah said. “It floods your body with oxygen, increases energy levels, detoxifies and increases performance. People who run marathons and do intense adventure sports do extremely well with EWOT, and people who climb Mount Everest have been known to use EWOT in the months before their ascent.”
High-oxygen training equipment and gyms are now popping up as an amenity in high-end homes. For instance, a megamansion within a Six Senses-branded community in France’s Loire Valley includes a “high-oxygen training room.”
The science behind EWOT is simple, said Joshua Park, CEO of the Mocean wellness centers in New York and Los Angeles. “Oxygen is a fuel source. Everyone talks about mitochondria and ATP [adenosine triphosphate], which is the body’s powerhouse to produce energy. To generate ATP, our bodies require oxygen. Enhancing oxygen intake means more energy,” he said.
Mocean offers EWOT as part of a suite of high-end treatments, including “integrative biohacking, Eastern and Western medicine, based on 50 biomarkers that we measure,” he said. Along with weekend warriors and stressed-out executives, Mocean clients include the New York Mets, who have partnered with the clinics on wellness. “Whenever there’s a home game, the players come in for EWOT, and they feel an immediate difference,” Park said.
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For participants in high-intensity routines, EWOT can boost endurance, Park said. In co-called Zone 4 exercises, which target 80%-90% of the maximum heart rate, or Zone 5, performed at 90%-100% of the limit, “your body produces lactic acid, which leads to inflammation, which means the body can’t sustain high-intensity activity. With EWOT, your tissues are getting more oxygen, you don’t get the fast buildup of lactic acid, and you don’t get as tired,” Park said.
The EWOT process involves breathing concentrated oxygen through a mask connected by a hose to a bag and oxygen concentrator, said Rajah of Optimal Breathing; the devices weigh about 60 pounds and maneuver on wheels, making them suitable for home use. For the oxygen bag, the company uses TPU [thermoplastic polyurethane], which “withstands high temperatures and high pressure,” he said.
Optimal Breathing’s top-end machine, the Premium Plus, retails for $3,352, and includes two masks. “It’s a plug-and-play machine,” Rajah said.
For home use, Rajah suggested positioning the machine next to a cardiovascular machine, like a treadmill, stationary bike, trampoline or even vibrating power plates. “The intention is to keep your heart rate up,” he said. “Some people will get into a hot tub or Jacuzzi with the mask on instead of working out. If you can’t do the movements, you’ll still get benefits.”
With any oxygen treatment, however, there are risks if used in excess, which is why companies like Optimal Breathing recommend consulting with a physician before using EWOT devices, especially in the case of underlying health issues.
“Too much oxygen can lead to oxygen toxicity or oxygen poisoning,” according to broad guidelines about oxygen therapies from Cleveland Clinic. “If you take in more oxygen than your body needs, it can slow your breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels.”
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At Mocean, Park’s health team recommends 15-20 minutes of EWOT therapy. “The goal is to take in all of the oxygen in the bag,” he said. Mocean employs sleek Hypermax EWOT machines, which retail for about $3,000.
There’s no minimum or maximum age for EWOT, according to Park. “Anyone of any age will get the anti-inflammatory effects, and the oxygen can help with high stress and high toxicity,” he said.
EWOT users should avoid eating “an hour or two before a session, because that will produce too many free radicals,” Park said. “If your goal is to improve your metabolism, an empty stomach is better.”
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And because of the energy boost, many users feel after an EWOT session, Rajah of Optimal Breathing recommended scheduling sessions “in the morning, or early afternoon. But if you do it after 5 p.m., you might not be able to sleep,” he said.
“We believe we can change lives through EWOT,” he said. “Oxygen is life. No oxygen means no life. For patients who want to improve their health significantly, EWOT is the way to go. Combining exercise with oxygen is the best of both worlds.”