Kim Kardashian says she is 'super into hyperbaric chambers' as she focuses on longevity, but physicians say the science does not support many of the anti-ageing claims surrounding the therapy.

Dr Owen J O'Neill, founding medical director of Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine at Phelps Hospital, Northwell Health, says evidence for the promised benefits is limited. Much larger, better-designed studies are needed, he adds.

What the Science Actually Shows

'There are real biological effects from hyperbaric oxygen treatment that have created interest in aging research,' O'Neill said. 'Those are important medical effects, but they do not mean that HBO₂ treatment reverses aging or makes people live longer.'

He explained that pressurised oxygen can change how cells function, stimulate new blood vessels, influence inflammation and help damaged tissue heal. Changes in blood tests or brain scans do not prove a person will live longer.

'For that reason, I would not recommend HBO₂ treatment to a healthy person simply for "anti-aging" or longevity purposes,' he said. His caution applies only to anti-ageing use.

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Proven Uses and Safety Risks

The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared hyperbaric oxygen therapy devices for specific medical uses, including decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, radiation injuries and certain non-healing wounds. The first hyperbaric chamber was described in 1662, although modern hyperbaric oxygen therapy developed centuries later.

Cleveland Clinic says patients undergoing HBOT typically breathe 100 per cent oxygen while inside a pressurised chamber, compared with about 21 per cent oxygen in room air. It lists anti-ageing, migraine and depression among uses lacking enough research.

Dr Susan Sprau, a UCLA pulmonologist, says the treatment raises oxygen in tissues, helps new capillaries grow into wounds and increases collagen. Most diabetic foot wound studies she cited showed fewer amputations with treatment.

Johns Hopkins Medicine says pressure is often 1.5 to 3 times normal. Side effects can include ear pain, sinus damage, vision changes, low blood sugar, lung damage and oxygen poisoning, which can cause seizures.

The clinic warns that people with a collapsed lung, certain lung diseases, a fever or cold, or a recent ear injury should avoid it. Metal and electronic items are banned inside because sparks could start a fire.

O'Neill strongly advises against soft, portable chambers marketed for home use. He says many are not made in the US and may not meet medical standards.

Fire risk has also proved deadly at private clinics. Five-year-old Thomas Cooper died on 31 January 2025 while being treated for ADHD and sleep apnoea at a facility in Troy, Michigan, after a spark reportedly ignited a fire inside the chamber.

Four people connected to the facility were initially charged after Thomas Cooper's death. In July 2026, safety manager Jeffrey Mosteller pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, while three others remain charged in connection with the case. The charges against the remaining defendants are allegations, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Marketing Outpacing the Evidence

Oscar Trelles, founder of Breathing Flame and author of The Human OS Manual, defers safety guidance to physicians. He says consumers hearing 'oxygen' or 'anti-aging' often assume the benefits are broad, established and apply to healthy people.

He urges healthy people to ask what human evidence supports the use, who interprets the data and what risks are screened. He asks whether it is sold as experimental or proven.

Trelles calls hyperbaric oxygen an interesting area of research. He cautions against clinics turning early or condition-specific findings into broad promises about slowing ageing, improving cognition or extending lifespan.

'Oxygen under pressure is considered a drug,' O'Neill said. 'Like any drug, it has a proper dose, specific reasons for using it, situations in which it should not be used, possible and significant side effects.'

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