Why Consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For IBD?
Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is often marked by chronic inflammation, pain and flares that can be difficult to control. Many patients continue to have significant symptoms even after trying corticosteroids, immunomodulators and other standard treatments. This has led researchers to explore new supportive options, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy for inflammatory bowel disease as a potential way to reduce inflammation and support healing.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, which increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in blood and tissues. That higher oxygen level may influence immune activity, oxidative stress and tissue repair, all of which play important roles in IBD.
Inside The Review: Human And Animal Studies
This systematic review analyzed publications up to 2011 that reported the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in IBD, separating human studies from animal research.
In humans, the authors identified:
- Thirteen studies in Crohn’s disease, where 31 of 40 patients, or about 78 percent, showed clinical improvement after HBOT
- Six studies in ulcerative colitis, where all 39 patients experienced improvement
Importantly, most of these patients had severe, treatment resistant disease that had not responded adequately to standard medical care.
Some studies also measured inflammatory markers. In Crohn’s disease, HBOT was associated with reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL 1, IL 6 and TNF alpha. In ulcerative colitis, one study reported a decrease in IL 6. Reported side effects were minimal in the studies reviewed.
Animal models of experimentally induced IBD showed similar trends. HBOT frequently lowered markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, including TNF alpha, IL 1 beta, myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde, and several studies described microscopic improvements in colon tissue on histology.
Interpreting The Findings
Overall, the review suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress while improving clinical signs of IBD, especially in people whose disease has not responded to standard therapies. However, many of the available studies had important limitations, including small sample sizes, lack of control groups and possible referral or publication bias.
Because of these factors, HBOT should be viewed as a promising adjunctive approach under investigation, not a proven primary treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.
Looking Ahead: HBOT And The Future Of IBD Care
The authors conclude that additional well designed studies are needed to better understand how hyperbaric oxygen therapy affects inflammatory markers, oxidative stress and long term clinical outcomes in IBD. As research evolves, HBOT may become one of several tools used alongside conventional therapies to support people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, especially in complex or refractory cases.
Check out the PubMed article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22417628/
