Hypoxia as a medicine

Oxygen is essential for human life, yet a growing body of preclinical research is demonstrating that chronic continuous hypoxia can be beneficial in models of mitochondrial disease, autoimmunity, ischemia, and aging. This research is revealing exciting new and unexpected facets of oxygen biology, but translating these findings to patients poses major challenges, because hypoxia can be dangerous. Overcoming these barriers will require integrating insights from basic science, high-altitude physiology, clinical medicine, and sports technology. Here, we explore the foundations of this nascent field and outline a path to determine how chronic continuous hypoxia can be safely, effectively, and practically delivered to patients.Science Translational Medicine

Abstract from Robert S. Rogers and Vamsi K. Mootha, 22 Jan 2025, Vol 17, Issue 782, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adr4049

This article, based mainly on laboratory mice, suggests integrating insights from many fields – yet omits evolutionary sciences! The ev med concept that symptoms may be adaptations is exemplified by RCTs of permissive hypoxemia vs aggressive oxygenation in the ICU . Asking Tinbergen’s questions including a comparative physiology perspective across populations or species could add useful insights into many interesting questions about oxygen homeostasis in health and disease.

1. By © Vyacheslav Argenberg / http://www.vascoplanet.com/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=103454712 ↩︎