Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) - An In-Depth Guide

What is Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT)?

Exercise with Oxygen Therapy is the practice of breathing higher concentrations of oxygen (93% or higher) while exercising. This approach is also known as Oxygen Enhanced Exercise or Exercise with Oxygen Training or Oxygen Multi-step Therapy.


The process is simple: 


It involves an EWOT System, which consists of an Oxygen Reservoir Bag filled with oxygen from an Oxygen Concentrator and a specialized mask attached to the bag. All you have to do is wear the mask and engage in your daily workout routine.


With the EWOT System, you inhale 4 times more oxygen than in the ambient air while working out and this increases the level of oxygen in your cells, tissues, muscles and blood plasma, potentially improving your energy, endurance and athletic performance, reducing inflammation, promoting detoxification, offering anti-aging benefits and much more.

Take your wellness journey to new heights by reaping the benefits of exercise–oxygen combo.

Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT)

Why EWOT?

Many daily stressors such as physical inactivity, stress, prolonged illness etc. can reduce the plasma oxygen lavels in your blood, contributing to poor circulation in different body parts. Oxygen in your bloodstream is present in two primary forms: bound to red blood cells and dissolved in the fluid component of your blood, known as plasma. Dr. von Ardenne's research institute conducted extensive investigations into plasma oxygenation and its responses to various stressors. Below, you'll find charts illustrating the impact of specific stressors on plasma oxygenation.

Daily Stressors that reduce Plasma Oxygen Levels and Oxygen Consumption

Plasma Oxygen Levels and Oxygen Consumption

Fig: The reduction in the arterial resting PO2 by various debilitating effects on the lung-heart system: physical inactivity, excess of stress and physical inactivity, and prolonged illness - (Data source : Oxygen Multi Step Therapy by Manfred von Ardenne)

Dr. von Ardenne's research revealed that decreased plasma oxygen levels led to constriction of capillaries, the small blood vessels in our bodies. This narrowing of capillaries can significantly contribute to the onset of various diseases and accelerate the aging process.

Increased Oxygen uptake and Blood Circulation after EWOT

Increased Oxygen uptake and Blood Circulation after EWOT

Fig: O2 diffusion parameters at the venous end of the capillaries before, during and after (C) Oxygen Multistep Therapy. Rough schematic presentation. Example: 15 min Oxygen Multistep Therapy quick procedure
(Data source : Oxygen Multi Step Therapy by Manfred von Ardenne)

Whether you’re an athlete or fitness enthusiast working to achieve peak performance or a person who is fighting cancer, or a wellness seeker whose goal is to improve energy, reduce fatigue, promote relaxation, and enhance overall health and wellness, optimizing your blood plasma oxygen levels and reinstating blood circulation are the fundamental steps. Considering the benefits, feasibility, time efficiency and cost-effectiveness, EWOT is worth trying!

How Does EWOT Work?

During EWOT, an increased oxygen concentration in the lungs generates greater pressure, promoting the efficient transport of oxygen into pulmonary capillaries. Exercise also accelerates blood circulation, resulting in improved oxygen transport mechanism. Blood carries oxygen to capillaries located all over the body, where it gets diffused through the capillary endothelial membrane into interstitial fluid and reaches your cells. This oxygen diffusion process depends on the arterial pressure, which, unfortunately, shows a tendency to decline with age.

Aging and its co-factors (including stress, lack of exercise, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, exposure to toxic substances, presence of free radicals, or breathing contaminated ambient air etc.) reduce this arterial pressure and this decline contributes to the reduced oxygen supply to the cells. You might have observed that a wound rapidly heals in a child but may linger and take a long time to heal in an older person. This can be partly attributed to the age-related changes in arterial oxygen pressure.

EWOT has been shown to reinstate arterial oxygen pressure to healthy youthful levels, optimize the oxygen transport mechanism and increase VO2 max.

Why Does Your Body Need More Oxygen When You Exercise

When you exercise, your muscles are hard at work and require more energy than usual, and the demand for oxygen increases to meet this need. As a result, your breathing rate and heart rate increase to draw more oxygen into your bloodstream. Unlike at rest, the oxygen that reaches your muscles during exercise never leaves but is rather utilized to create ATP.

Now, what happens when the oxygen supply to your muscles becomes limited?

When your body runs low on oxygen, anaerobic metabolism takes over, and the muscles start generating energy without oxygen. This results in the production of lactic acid, leading to fatigue and performance drop. As the body continues to exercise, the oxygen demand of the muscles increases, and the anaerobic metabolism becomes unsustainable. The body responds by increasing oxygen delivery to the muscles through increased breathing rate, heart rate, and blood flow. This allows aerobic metabolism to resume and the muscles to produce energy more efficiently with the help of oxygen.

As a result, the switch from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism during exercise is a gradual process, with the body adjusting its oxygen uptake and delivery to the muscles in response to the changing demands of the exercise.

How EWOT Helps Your Body Meet the Oxygen Demand?

Oxygen plays a vital role in the post-workout recovery process by aiding in the restoration of pre-exercise ATP levels and assisting the liver in converting lactic acid into carbohydrates. The amount of oxygen in your body during and after exercise directly impacts your performance and recovery rate. In simple terms, the more oxygen you have in your body, the better your performance and recovery rate will be.

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Key Benefits of EWOT

The potential benefits of EWOT are literally limitless, but they are based on three primary aspects: The capability of EWOT to promote Oxygen Circulation, reinstate Blood Flow and boost ATP Synthesis. These major benefits exert an influence on overall health.

  1. Improves Oxygen Circulation
  2. Reinstates Blood Flow
  3. Boosts ATP Synthesis

Improves Oxygen Circulation

EWOT transports oxygen into the blood vessels. This indicates the increase in the flow of Oxygen into arteries, veins, and even to the capillaries that link arteries to veins. Improvement in oxygen circulation results in the smooth processing of numerous day-to-day biochemical activities undergone by the cells as they are receiving enough oxygen.

Reinstates Blood Flow

As oxygen circulation in the body improves, the oxygenated blood has the capability to transport O2 to the tissues, blood vessels, and organs for the proper functioning of physiological processes. Restoring the oxygenated blood circulation plays an important role in remedying vasoconstriction, the narrowing of the blood vessels.

Boosts ATP Synthesis

EWOT permits every cell to receive an adequate O2 level. This enhances the production of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. Blood cells separate when ATP levels rise, allowing them to absorb more oxygen because they are no longer stuck together. Low ATP can lead to a delayed healing process.

Other Benefits of EWOT


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Evolution of EWOT: A Journey Through History

In the late 1960s, German researcher and applied physicist Manfred von Ardenne developed a technique known as Oxygen Multistep Therapy. Dr. Manfred von Ardenne was This technique was created to help cancer patients. The aim was to aid the function of the cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular systems in their bodies by delivering oxygen-enriched air. 

As exercise increases oxygen utilization, he combined exercise and Oxygen Multistep Therapy, together with complementary medications, and the outcomes were revolutionary. The patients benefited from this simple yet effective integration.

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How Can EWOT Help You Improve Your Workout Routine?

If you are someone who regularly does strenuous workouts, your body will require a fair amount of oxygen to get adequate support. Yes, doing physical exercises is good for you, but EWOT will give your body that extra boost that it seeks. It helps you get the most out of your exercise by maximizing the oxygen levels. You could be able to minimize the risks of overexertion by maintaining a consistent flow of oxygen to your muscles. 

Now, you might have a question: Can EWOT reduce the inflammatory response associated with the exercise? 

Yes, the extra oxygen can counteract the inflammation at the initial stage, as oxygen has the ability to constrict the blood vessels.

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Who Can Benefit from EWOT?

Anyone who is able to exercise, regardless of age or fitness level, can do Oxygen Enhanced Exercise. EWOT offers potential benefits for athletes, those managing respiratory conditions, seeking cardiovascular health improvements, dealing with chronic fatigue, or simply looking to enhance overall wellness. 

Athletes

Athletes can leverage Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) to enhance their physical performance, endurance gains and VO2 max. Engaging in EWOT workout sessions helps you improve your recovery rate, reduce fatigue, and potentially gain a competitive edge. The exercise-oxygen duo could increase your oxygen utilization, helping your body meet the demands of intense training and helping your body reach peak athletic performance.

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Fitness Enthusiasts

Are you someone who prioritizes fitness? Then EWOT is worth considering to enhance your endurance, boost your performance, and recover faster, reducing muscle fatigue and soreness. Achieve your fitness goals and follow a healthy workout routine with EWOT.

Wellness Seekers

Seeking wellness? EWOT can help! Oxygen Enhanced Exercise can boost your energy, reduce stress, and promote relaxation, fostering a sense of well-being and contributing to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier, happier you.

People with Low Immunity

Often falling sick, feeling fatigued, or experiencing other persistent symptoms? Your immune system may be struggling. Exercising with oxygen can improve your immune system function. 

Oxygenating your body is fundamental for creating cellular energy. In addition to the immune system support, you can leverage EWOT for reduced susceptibility to disease, anti-aging effects, stress management, preparation for high-stress events, normalization of oxygen transport capacity in smokers, and increased blood circulation stability.

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EWOT Dangers

There are no risks or side effects of EWOT if done properly. The most common side effect is some minor drying of the sinuses and throat from the oxygen air, which can be remedied by drinking more water and staying well hydrated.

The research by Dr. Manfred von Ardenne has shown that with the amount of oxygen being received during the 15-minute procedure, the partial pressure and the concentration of the oxygen are well within the safe limits to avoid any chance of oxygen toxicity in anyone using the EWOT correctly. 

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EWOT vs. HBOT

We often get the question of whether Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT) can provide similar benefits as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and which therapy is more suitable for individual needs. It's important to note that oxygen, in all its forms, can benefit the body, and both EWOT and HBOT offer potential advantages. EWOT and HBOT use hyperoxia as the basic block of their system. Inhaling excess oxygen is the key factor, and this extra oxygen is delivered to the body to enhance oxygen absorption in the tissues.

Here’s the comparison in a nutshell:

AspectHBOTEWOT
Passiveness vs. ActivityIntrinsically passive, with the person lying down in a pressurized chamber for 90 minutes without any activity.Relies on exercise as the key to enhancing oxygen intake and absorption.
Constant Pressure vs. Partial PressureUses high pressure in chambers to improve oxygen absorption.Utilizes the combination of high oxygen supply to the bloodstream and the partial pressure of exercise to drive oxygen into the system.
Time EfficiencyTakes a longer time to oxygenate tissues due to dependence on pressure for oxygen delivery.Allows the body to absorb more oxygen in a shorter time to support limb and muscle movement.
Cost EfficiencyComparatively more expensive due to lower time efficiency and higher operational cost of hyperbaric chambers.Cost is substantially lower as it uses a more simple, practical system comprising an oxygen machine, bag, and mask.

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FAQ

1. Does EWOT require a medical prescription?

No, EWOT (Exercise with Oxygen Therapy) typically does not require a prescription. It is considered a wellness or fitness practice rather than a medical treatment. 


However, if you have underlying health conditions or concerns, it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any new exercise regimen, including EWOT, to ensure it is safe and appropriate for your individual needs.

2. How long does it take to see results with EWOT?

Everyone experiences benefits and improvements at their own pace. The time it takes to experience the benefits of EWOT can vary depending on your overall health and fitness. Some individuals may notice improvements in energy, mental clarity, and sleep quality after the first session itself, while others may need some more time to notice a difference.

3. What to expect after engaging in an EWOT session?

EWOT provides you with higher concentrations of pure oxygen and inhaling it can have an immediate effect on your brain, which is the most oxygen-demanding tissue. You may experience the following:


Feeling energized: You may feel an immediate boost in energy, thanks to the increased oxygen supply to your body and brain.


Improved focus and mental clarity: EWOT can help to improve cognitive function, and you may notice an improvement in mental clarity and focus.


Increased heart rate: While you perform an exercise with oxygen, your heart rate will increase, resulting in improved blood flow and oxygen delivery.


Improved mood: Exercising with oxygen can have a positive impact on mood, and you may feel relaxed or happy after a session.


You'll feel rejuvenated, energized, and clear-headed, and you'll wish you had started it sooner!

Michael Grand White

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Michael Grant White

Michael Grant White

Michael Grant White, Founder of OptimalBreathing.com, is a breathing development specialist, breathworker, holistic health educator, personal growth mentor, author, public speaker, and vocalist and has successfully helped thousands transform their lives through correct breathing and nutrition.

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