They say the fountain of youth doesn’t last long. So, savor it while you still have the strength to climb mountains, run, hop, skip, jump, and make merry.
Sure, there have been innumerable attempts in the history of mankind to hold on to one’s beauty and keep it away from fading, but to no avail.
As we age, our body tends to pass through a series of psychological, physical, and behavioral changes. This, in turn, cripples the biological systems and several other internal processes to come to a permanent shutdown. While the process can either be gradual or all of a sudden, the frequency of falling ill leading to temporary or permanent disabilities is what makes our body react differently.
Biological aging starts affecting our body cycle from the age of thirty-five and continues beyond sixty, several conditions come into play for functional loss and more.
Nevertheless, alternative treatments like undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) have made it possible to mitigate the effects of aging and slow down the entire process. Thus, individuals can gain more resistance against a range of diseases and help maintain good health for several years.
The decline in the quality of life when taken into consideration depicts how things can be broken down to the cellular level where the chief indicators include cellular senescence as well Telomere Length.
The use of a hyperbaric chamber has significantly ushered positive benefits affecting the Telomere Length, and subsequent reduction of senescent cells.
This post takes into consideration certain medical studies and research reports in assessing the role of a hyperbaric chamber in helping people age gracefully.
Understanding Telomeres and Cellular Senescence
Simply put, Telomeres are a group of DNA-protein structures that are found right at the base of chromosomes. They almost resemble little plastic caps and function to safeguard the genome, as well as store DNA information.
On the other end, we have cellular senescence which is believed to be an irreversible growth arrest that is said to occur as a natural response to multiple cellular stressors like erosion of telomeres, for instance, oxidative stress, and DNA damage.
In other words, without Telomeres, the DNA strands would undergo damage affecting the functioning of cells. A study conducted by medical researchers in Israel, at one of the biggest hyperbaric medicine facilities, exposed a total of thirty-five adults above the age of sixty to a couple of hours session inside a hyperbaric chamber, over 90 days.
The results depicted the telomeres being extended by as much as thirty-eight percent, whereas senescent cells were reduced by no less than 37%. Such delightful outcomes are a stepping stone to what one might call “reversing the age clock”. However, the reversal effects are not permanent and are most likely to be affected by slight to moderate changes in lifestyle.
For anyone who wishes to understand the aging process will invariably require to delve deep into multiple mechanisms:
- Mitochondrial dysfunction– With age the number of mitochondria present across blood cells starts decreasing. As such their function also suffers which further leads to cellular degeneration.
- Hypoxia – As you age, your blood vessels get narrowed, thus lowering the blood supply and shortage of oxygen within the tissues.
- Decrease in the number of stem cells – During several biological processes that form an active part of aging, stem cells tend to contribute towards the regeneration of new cells. With a decrease in the number of stem cells, there occurs an increased deficiency of regeneration for optimal cells.
How Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help?
A hyperbaric chamber, for several decades, has established its efficacy in treating a multitude of conditions relying solely on the power of oxygen.
As such, multiple research studies have decided how spending a considerable amount of time inside a hyperbaric chamber has been able to rejuvenate or rekindle otherwise fallen body systems.
In this respect, it is important to remember that HBOT therapy alone should never be looked at as a “miracle cure for aging.” Instead, one should take into consideration its ability to dramatically enhance the functioning of tissues as well as improve the condition of damaged blood vessels which are pretty normal when a person starts to age.
Several past, as well as ongoing research studies, have been able to establish the physiological impact of hyperbaric treatment, chiefly across injured brain tissues, and other major chronic conditions that can lead to hypoxia. Thus, using a hyperbaric chamber, it is possible to bring about a wholesome and sustained effect that includes:
- Improved oxygenation of tissues – When an individual breathes pure, unadulterated oxygen during a hyperbaric session, it gets picked up via the bloodstream and readily increases the oxygenation within tissues. Further, the oxygen gets transferred to the mitochondria from the blood capillaries and restores its natural function. Thus, it works toward decelerating the growth of atherosclerosis and helps restore energy levels and supply nutrients to otherwise aging tissues.
- Angiogenesis – When inside a hyperbaric chamber, the cell growth process is stimulated, which leads to Angiogenesis, or the generation of new blood vessels. Thus, the process, in totality, helps restore optimum blood flow to areas that were deprived within the body.
- Mobilization of stem cells– HBOT can also mobilize several target stem cells and damaged tissues that have witnessed the damage and require new cells. Research studies show how a hyperbaric chamber can be used to boost the stem cell count to anywhere between three to eight times.
- Improved cognitive actions – With age, there occurs a sudden decline in cognitive actions. HBOT, as depicted in several studies, can alter and enhance a multitude of cognitive actions, like paying attention or processing information for desirable output.
- Rejuvenation actions for skin– Human skin carries a protein called collagen which is known to help muscles, tendons, bones, and ligaments to function well. With age, the collagen level drops significantly leading to skin damage. A hyperbaric chamber can help supplement the level of oxygen to produce necessary collagen-inducing rejuvenating actions for the skin.
Wrap Up
Undeniably, a hyperbaric chamber with its multifaceted offerings can significantly slow down aging. In doing so, it also functions to achieve a balanced condition by harnessing the power of oxygen, like nothing else in comparison.
This innovative approach not only addresses the visible signs of aging but also rejuvenates the body at a cellular level, promoting vitality and overall well-being. With continued research and advancements in hyperbaric therapy, the prospects for graceful aging remain promising.