Before knowing how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help in reversing the age of a body, it is necessary to know how the ageing process happens in humans.
Every tissue, muscle or organ in our body is made up of cells. Cells are the smallest entities in our body that make up every part in our body. Every cell has an encoded signature – DNA. DNA is the biological signature of any body and it varies from being to being. Cells die everyday and new cells are produced every day. As new cells are produced, the genetic signature (DNA) is copied. The DNA is so important that without it, there is no body. In order to protect such an important DNA, every DNA has ‘telomeres’ at its ends which function as protective caps for the DNA. (Just like the tips of shoelaces are protected). As the cells copy themselves to make new ones, the length of telomere shortens. This process continues as the body survives through the years until at one point where the telomeres are too short and the replication of cells doesn’t happen as they should. When the DNA is not copied correctly, that disrupts the normal functioning of the cell. This produces cells called ‘senescent cells’ that are old and malfunctioning. Senescent cells get accumulated as the body continues to age.
Due to this reason, the age of the human body is linked to the length of telomeres. Along with age, smoking, obesity, lack of proper exercise, poor diet and even stress can shorten the length of the telomeres, accelerating the body’s ageing process.
How can HBOT help stop or even reverse the ageing process?
In a research done at Tel Aviv University (TAU) in Israel, scientists have discovered that after a certain number of sessions, the length of telomeres increased by 38% and the number of senescent cells dropped by 37%. That equals to taking back the age of cells by around 25 years. Isn’t that an amazing feat? No other medicine so far has been able to achieve that kind of success in improving the length of telomeres till date and scientists and researchers are super excited about the findings.
The study was led by the following researchers:
- Professor Shai Efrati – Sackler School of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience at TAU. He is also the founder and director of Sagol Centre of Hyperbaric Medicine at Shamir Medical Centre.
- Dr. Amir Hadanny – Chief Medical Research Officer at Sagol Centre of Hyperbaric Medicine and Shamir Medical Centre.
The research paper was published on 18th November, 2020.
The research sample
35 individuals aged above 64 years were selected for the research. They were subjected to 60 sessions of hyperbaric therapy over a period of 90 days. Their blood samples were collected, before, during and after the research and the immune cells were analysed and compared.
Observations after the research
- The length of telomeres increased between 20-38% in different individuals.
- The percentage of senescent cells went down by about 11-37%
What the researchers said after the research
“Today telomere shortening is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of the biology of ageing,” Professor Efrati says. “Researchers around the world are trying to develop pharmacological and environmental interventions that enable telomere elongation. Our HBOT protocol was able to achieve this, proving that the ageing process can in fact be reversed at the basic cellular-molecular level.”
“Until now, interventions such as lifestyle modifications and intense exercise were shown to have some inhibiting effect on telomere shortening,” Dr. Hadanny adds. “But in our study, only three months of HBOT were able to elongate telomeres at rates far beyond any currently available interventions or lifestyle modifications. With this pioneering study, we have opened a door for further research on the cellular impact of HBOT and its potential for reversing the ageing process.”
What is the cost of Hyperbaric Sessions in Chennai?
The cost of HBOT session can range from Rs. 4,000 to Rs.10,000 depending on the package selected before the procedure. The higher the number of sessions, the lower is the cost.
If HBOT sessions are taken as a part of surgery or diabetic wound healing, the price may vary. Please call us at +91 97102 04044 or visit us at our T Nagar, Chennai clinic for more details.
Does insurance cover the cost of HBOT sessions?
There are 2 scenarios here. If HBOT is taken as a part of another surgery covered by your insurance provider, HBOT cost may also be covered. If you are going for just HBOT, your health insurance provider may not cover the cost because it would then be treated as a cosmetic process. It is advisable to check with your insurance provider before you commit to the treatment.
