Research & Articles
Research from around the world and articles about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Vagus Nerve Sessions (VNS), and their application.
What does the research
actually say about HBOT?
We've read the published clinical studies so you don't have to. Below is a plain-English summary of the peer-reviewed evidence on hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 1.5 ATA.
The short version
If you want the headline before reading the detail, here it is.
Researchers have run several well-designed studies at 1.5 ATA specifically. That matters because some clinics operate at 1.3 ATA or 2.0 ATA, but the bulk of the strongest published research uses 1.5 ATA as the test pressure.
The studies are mostly in people with post-concussion symptoms and chronic brain fog, because those were the populations researchers recruited. But the mechanisms researchers describe (more oxygen reaching cells, reduced inflammation, improved sleep architecture) are not exclusive to those groups.
These are independent researchers, not ReviveO2. We are presenting their published findings because we think the evidence is interesting and you deserve to read it.
The studies, in plain English
Each card below shows what the study was, what researchers found, and what that means in everyday language. Use the filters if you want to focus on a specific type of research.
1.5 ATA vs 2.0 ATA — what the research says
Both are real pressures used in clinical research. The question is: which one is better for which situation?
| Topic |
1.5 ATA
ReviveO2 | 2.0 ATA |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited for | Chronic recovery, ongoing wellness, repeated courses | Acute emergency medical indications |
| Research in chronic recovery | Strongest evidence base for post-concussion and chronic fatigue protocols | Does not consistently outperform 1.5 ATA when total oxygen dose is matched |
| Ear discomfort risk | Lower — better tolerated across repeated sessions | Higher with longer or repeated courses |
| Oxygen toxicity risk | Lower; well within safe range for wellness protocols | Elevated in extended courses |
| Session comfort | Generally comfortable; most clients report no issues | More pronounced pressure sensation during pressurisation |
| Oxygen delivery | Significant increase over normobaric; plasma dissolution achieved | Higher partial pressure, but equivalent total dose achievable via session length at 1.5 ATA |
What actually happens inside a session
Based on the mechanistic research, here is what researchers believe is happening at the cellular level during an HBOT session.
Normally, almost all oxygen is carried by haemoglobin in your red blood cells. At 1.5 ATA, oxygen also dissolves directly into your blood plasma. Plasma can reach tissue that red blood cells can't get to, particularly in areas with poor circulation or old injury. That is the fundamental mechanism that makes HBOT different to just breathing deeply.
Your mitochondria are the power generators in each cell. When oxygen availability increases, mitochondrial function improves and cells produce more ATP (energy). Researchers believe this is why many people describe a change in energy levels and mental alertness after repeated sessions. It is not a stimulant effect; it is cells doing their job more efficiently.
Elevated oxygen at pressure appears to reduce inflammatory signalling in the body. Researchers have observed this in brain tissue particularly, which may explain improvements in cognitive clarity and mood that some clients describe after completing a course of sessions. Chronic low-grade neuroinflammation is increasingly linked to brain fog and fatigue.
With repeated sessions, HBOT appears to stimulate angiogenesis, which is the formation of new small blood vessels in oxygen-deprived areas. This is a longer-term effect and one of the reasons researchers think gains from HBOT tend to persist after the course ends. The body builds new infrastructure, not just a temporary boost.
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to form new connections and reorganise itself. Research, including imaging studies, suggests that HBOT promotes neuroplasticity, which is why it is being studied for cognitive recovery. Scans in some studies show improved blood flow to areas of the brain after a course of sessions.
The mechanisms above are cumulative: angiogenesis takes repeated sessions, inflammation reduction accumulates, mitochondrial improvements compound. This is why the research consistently shows that a full course of sessions produces different results to one or two. An intro session gives you a real experience of the environment, but the studied benefits come from the full protocol.
What the research uses
The protocol below is the one most consistently used in the studies that produced reliable results.
All references
Harvard format. All accessible via PubMed, PubMed Central, or their original publisher.
One session to see how your body responds
The evidence is interesting. The experience is something different. Our intro session is £35. If you decide to continue, that comes off your first package.