Evidence-Based Medicine

Articles tagged with "Evidence-Based Medicine".

Chronic Cellular Hypoxia and Cancer: The Warburg Effect Explained

Tags: Oncology, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does Low Oxygen Cause Cancer?

According to Warburg’s research, yes. Over 70 years ago, Otto Warburg showed that cells could always be made cancerous by subjecting them to periods of low oxygen. He found that just a 35% reduction in cellular oxygen was sufficient to trigger the transformation from normal cell to cancer cell.

This hypothesis paper explores Warburg’s findings and proposes that long-term cellular hypoxia, measured in years, is the primary trigger for cancer. The authors link this oxygen deprivation to dietary factors, specifically damaged fats that impair how oxygen moves into cells.

Effects of Hyperoxia on Sea-level Exercise Performance, Training,

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does Breathing Extra Oxygen Really Improve Exercise Performance?

Yes. This meta-analysis of 51 studies found that breathing oxygen-enriched air has a large effect on time to exhaustion (effect size 0.89) and moderate effects on other performance measures. Higher oxygen concentrations correlated with greater performance improvements.

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts often wonder if supplemental oxygen can boost their workouts. Researchers analyzed decades of studies to find out. The results show clear benefits, especially for endurance activities.

Effects of Hyperoxic Training on Human Performance

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Cold Therapy, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does Training While Breathing Extra Oxygen Improve Fitness?

Yes. This systematic review of 7 studies found that hyperoxic training improves performance with a large effect (Cohen’s d = 1.79) and oxygen uptake with a medium effect (d = 0.57). Training with 60-100% oxygen for 3-6 weeks produced notable improvements compared to normal-air training.

While scientists have studied altitude training (low oxygen) for decades, training with extra oxygen (hyperoxia) is less researched. This review analyzed what happens when people train while breathing oxygen-enriched air over several weeks.

Effects of Intermittent Hypoxia Protocols on Physical Performance

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Drug Therapy, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does Intermittent Hypoxia Training Improve Athletic Performance?

Yes. This umbrella review of 22 systematic reviews analyzing 487 studies and 5,333 participants found that intermittent hypoxia protocols improve both aerobic and anaerobic performance, as well as muscular strength. Different hypoxia strategies work through different mechanisms.

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) involves alternating periods of low and normal oxygen levels. What started as a concern in sleep apnea has become a powerful tool for enhancing athletic performance. This comprehensive review examined all the existing systematic reviews on the topic.

Effects of Intermittent Hypoxia–hyperoxia on Performance- And

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Can Alternating Low and High Oxygen Improve Health?

Yes. This systematic review of 8 studies found that intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia (IHH) improves exercise tolerance, peak oxygen uptake, cognitive function, and blood sugar control. The technique involves alternating periods of low-oxygen and high-oxygen breathing at rest.

Researchers have long known that brief exposures to low oxygen can trigger beneficial adaptations. This review examined whether replacing the normal-oxygen recovery periods with high-oxygen periods could enhance these benefits even more.

Effects of Pre-, Post- and Intra-exercise Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Drug Therapy, Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help Athletic Performance or Recovery?

Not when used before or after exercise. This meta-analysis of 10 studies found no significant benefits from hyperbaric oxygen therapy before or after workouts. However, using it during exercise may help muscle endurance.

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts often look for ways to boost performance and speed recovery. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This systematic review examined whether timing matters for any potential benefits.

Exercise Intolerance and Impaired Oxygen Extraction in Long COVID

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Metabolic Health, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Why Can’t Long COVID Patients Exercise Normally?

Their bodies struggle to extract and use oxygen efficiently. This study of 59 long COVID patients found O2 pulse at only 79% of predicted values, with 41% showing reduced exercise capacity and significant chronotropic intolerance (inability to reach normal heart rate). The findings point to impaired energy metabolism as a key mechanism.

Chronic fatigue, exercise intolerance, and post-exertional malaise are among the most debilitating symptoms of long COVID, affecting 10-20% of survivors. Researchers used gold-standard cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to understand why these patients struggle with physical activity.

HBOT Combined with Biomedical Engineering for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Tags: Research Review, Metabolic Health, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Improve Cancer Treatment Effectiveness?

Yes. This 2025 comprehensive review shows HBOT increases nanodrug penetration depth by 1.8 times and immune cell infiltration by 2.3 times. When combined with biomedical engineering technologies, tumor suppression rates reached 84.2% compared to 60% with chemotherapy alone.

Tumors create low-oxygen (hypoxic) environments that help cancer cells resist treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy addresses this problem by raising tumor oxygen levels from about 5 mmHg to 30-50 mmHg, making cancer more vulnerable to treatment.

HBOT Effects on Mitochondrial Function and Athletic Performance: RCT

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Clinical Trial, Evidence-Based Medicine, Metabolic Health

January 20, 2026

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improve Fitness in Middle-Aged Athletes?

Yes. This double-blind randomized controlled trial found 40 sessions of HBOT significantly improved VO2max (effect size 0.99), anaerobic threshold (effect size 0.84), mitochondrial respiratory capacity (effect size 1.09), and increased mitochondrial mass by 17% compared to -9% in controls. This is the first blinded RCT to demonstrate HBOT enhances athletic performance.

Previous studies suggested hyperbaric oxygen might enhance performance, but none used proper placebo controls. This Israeli study used rigorous double-blinding, muscle biopsies to measure mitochondrial changes, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess real-world performance.

High-Flow Oxygen During Exercise Training in COPD: RCT Results

Tags: Exercise Recovery, Clinical Trial, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Does High-Flow Oxygen Improve Exercise Training in COPD Patients?

Partially. This multicenter trial of 171 COPD patients found that high-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) during training improved walking distance by 17 meters more than standard oxygen masks. However, HFOT didn’t significantly improve cycling endurance time over standard oxygen delivery.

High-flow oxygen therapy delivers warm, humidified oxygen at higher flow rates than traditional masks. Researchers across 8 Italian rehabilitation hospitals tested whether this newer technology would produce better exercise training results for patients with COPD and chronic low oxygen levels.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Effectively Addresses the Pathophysiology of Long

Tags: Research Review, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Why Might Hyperbaric Oxygen Help Long COVID?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) directly addresses multiple underlying causes of long COVID, including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and tissue hypoxia. This clinical review explains why HBO shows promise as a treatment for this debilitating condition.

An estimated 50 million people worldwide, or 10-20% of those initially diagnosed with COVID-19, suffer from long COVID. Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and shortness of breath can persist for months with no effective standard treatment. HBO may help by targeting the root causes rather than just symptoms.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Suppressed Lung Tumor Progression in Mice

Tags: Oncology, Cold Therapy, Evidence-Based Medicine

January 20, 2026

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Slow Lung Cancer Growth?

Yes. In this mouse study, hyperbaric oxygen therapy suppressed lung tumor growth by improving oxygen levels within tumors and triggering cancer cell death. Blood vessel markers increased significantly, and tumor cell death was observed starting at day 14 of treatment.

For years, doctors worried that extra oxygen might help tumors grow faster. This study tested the opposite idea. Since tumors thrive in low-oxygen environments, flooding them with oxygen might actually slow their growth. The results support this theory.