We’ve all heard the standard flight attendant speech before takeoff:  “In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop down from above…” Did you ever think, “Gee, I’d like to wear that oxygen mask right about now”—especially since the atmosphere inside a typical airline cabin consists of at least 50% recirculated air?

Too bad. As human beings, we aren’t usually given pure oxygen unless it’s a medical emergency. But these days, oxygen—which accounts for two-thirds of the mass of the human body—is being used in various ways not only to make us well, but also to keep us well.

Oxygen Therapy Goes Mainstream   

We’re not talking about hyperbaric oxygen chambers like the one pop star Michael Jackson reportedly bought to sleep in. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved hyperbaric oxygen therapy only to treat relatively rare medical conditions, such as decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and gangrene—not as an everyday health tonic.

Instead, we’re talking about a growing number of commercial establishments that offer “oxygen therapy” to improve health and vitality. These establishments fall into two categories.

In an oxygen bar, you pay by the minute to breathe in oxygen mixed with your choice of aroma or “flavor,” such as blueberry, peppermint, or wintergreen. This recreational use of oxygen has become trendy in nightclubs around the U.S. The inhaled oxygen is marketed as a treatment for stress, hangovers, headaches, and sinus problems while increasing energy and alertness and relaxing the body.

At an oxygen spa, your whole body except your head is exposed to pure oxygen in a treatment that claims to detoxify the cells. You are placed in an aromatherapy steam bath that opens the pores of your skin, allowing high-density oxygen diffused into the steam to seep into your skin. Over a 30-minute period, this process supposedly rids cells of “oxidized debris,” in some cases leaving black residue on your towel at the end of the session. Advertised benefits of oxygen spa therapy include stimulating the immune system, slowing down the aging process, and improving brain function and memory.

Liquid Stabilized Oxygen for Sustained Energy

Many people seek to experience oxygen’s restorative effects through the use of liquid stabilized oxygen. Using this therapy, you put drops of the highly concentrated oxygen into water and use it as a dietary supplement.  One manufacturer claims its liquid stabilized oxygen formula has been proven to raise blood oxygen levels in humans. The resulting health benefits may include increased energy and endurance and faster recovery for active individuals.

By Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus contributor