Background

The term oxygen therapy refers to the inhalation or breathing in of oxygen. Oxygen is an element that reacts with carbohydrates to form energy during the process of aerobic respiration, and is thus considered essential for carrying out metabolic processes that sustain human life.

Oxygen therapy is administered in two ways. The first method is called medical oxygen therapy, in which the air pressure of the oxygen administered to the patient is the same as the air pressure surrounding the patient. The second method, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, involves the administration of oxygen at a higher air pressure than that surrounding the patient, and must be administered in a special chamber. In both methods, the oxygen is inhaled.

Additionally, there are two "vitamin O" or oxygen supplements on the market. One is said to be composed largely of salt water and "stabilized" oxygen, and is marketed under many different brand names. The second vitamin O product contains the element germanium. These supplements should not be confused with oxygen therapy.

People use this for...

Effectiveness Effectiveness definitions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved oxygen therapy as a treatment for a number of conditions: non-healing wounds, radiation induced soft tissue death and osteonecrosis, flesh eating bacteria, carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, acute arterial ischemia, compromised skin grafts or flaps, severe infection by anaerobic bacteria, air or gas embolism, and severe uncorrected anemia.

Natural Medicines rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Dosing & administration

Adverse effects

General: In some instances, adverse effects have been reported with oxygen therapy such as worsening of COPD and grand mal seizures.

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

None known.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

None known.

Interactions with foods

None known.

Interactions with lab tests

Interactions with diseases

Mechanism of action

Oxygen therapy is used for a variety of medical purposes, in order to increase the availability of oxygen to body tissues. Oxygen is necessary for carrying out metabolic processes and sustaining human life, therefore, administration of oxygen is intended to correct the deficiency of oxygen in certain parts of the body.