REOXY®

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INTERMITTENT HYPOXIC TREATMENT – WHAT IS IT?

Intermittent/Interval Hypoxic Training or Intermittent/Interval Hypoxic Treatment (IHT) – a commonly employed designation of a treatment method using intermittent hypoxic exposure as the main therapeutic factor.

An IHT session consists of an interval of several minutes (3–10 min each) breathing hypoxic (low oxygen) air, alternated with similar intervals breathing ambient (normoxic) or hyperoxic air (Hypoxia – Hyperoxia mode – IHHT).

The procedure may be repeated several times in variable-length sessions per day, depending on a physician’s prescription or a manufacturer’s protocol (Navarrete-Opaz et al.,2014). Standard practice is for the patient to remain stationary while breathing hypoxic air via a hand-held mask. The therapy is delivered using a hypoxicator during the day time, allowing the dosage to be monitored. 

•  The Hypoxia Therapy method is very natural, as it utilizes unique genetically installed human body phenomena: an organism rapidly compensates disruptions at all levels caused by decreases in oxygen intake, adapting to its new environment. So-called ‘super-recovery’ follows total recovery of a disrupted function so that body resistance to a specific factor improves.

• Prenatal body evolution takes place in a low PO2 environment similar to an altitude of 5,000-6,000m above sea level (asl). Furthermore, PO2 values in the womb and fetal tissues change cyclically.

• Ability of the fetus to super-recover in response to decreased PO2 is an aspect of specific fetus «training» and forms its ability to resist external factors following parturition.

• Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy is a convenient way to tune the oxygen transport system and increase the power of the oxidative process. It relates to the fact that the oxygen the transport system, including breathing, cardiovascular systems, blood, multilayered regulators and cell breath systems dominate in terms of responsibility for adaptive changes.

• These effects are realized also during continuous intensive physical exercises of aerobic nature of longer than 30 minutes. Hypoxic training is easy to perform, which along with the absence of limitations is another benefit for patients, especially those overweight or with metabolic syndrome.

• Highland communities typically enjoy a 15–20 years longer lifespan. Median lifetime of Hunz valley inhabitants, in the Karakorum mountains, at 2,500m asl, is 120 years.