The Evolutionary Power of Hyperbaric Therapy: A Deeper Dive with Dr. Joe Dituri
In an episode of my podcast, Dr. Joe Dituri, a leading biomedical researcher and hyperbaric expert, joined me to talk about the science and evolution behind hyperbaric therapy. For centuries, humans have tapped into the benefits of hyperbarics, but it’s fascinating to consider the evolutionary reasons that might explain why increased pressure and oxygen are so beneficial to the human body.
Dr. Dituri and I explored how hyperbaric therapy works at a physiological level. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is essentially a treatment that uses pressurized oxygen to help the body heal. By placing the body in an environment of increased pressure, oxygen is dissolved directly into the blood and transported to tissues at levels that are difficult to achieve otherwise. But why would our bodies respond so powerfully to increased pressure and oxygen? The answer may lie in our evolutionary past.
Imagine ancient Earth, at different points in time, atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels varied significantly. During certain periods, atmospheric oxygen levels were much higher than they are today, which allowed life on Earth to grow larger and heal faster. It’s plausible that, as organisms adapted to high-oxygen environments, our bodies developed mechanisms to thrive under increased oxygen and pressure conditions. While we now live in an atmosphere with lower pressure and less oxygen, the ability to use oxygen as a powerful healing tool remains hardwired in us.
There’s another side to hyperbaric therapy that Dr. Dituri highlighted. As we increase atmospheric pressure in the hyperbaric chamber, gravity’s effects feel minimized, yet the pressure exerted on the body rises. This mirrors the experience of diving underwater, where gravity decreases, but external pressure increases with depth. This combination of reduced gravity and elevated pressure may be a state our ancestors adapted to over millennia of evolution, especially those who lived near or around aquatic environments. So, when we place the body under these conditions today in a controlled setting, it’s like flipping an ancient switch—our biology recognizes this “pressurized state” and responds with a healing boost.
We also touched on a historical curiosity: the first hyperbaric chamber was built back in 1664 by a British physician named Nathaniel Henshaw. Henshaw created an “air domicilium” to treat various ailments, including digestive issues. With no advanced technology or modern understanding of HBOT, he somehow knew that increased air pressure could have therapeutic effects. This idea has only grown with time, and today, HBOT is used for everything from wound healing to brain injury recovery.
Hyperbaric therapy isn’t a modern discovery, but an ancient response ingrained in our physiology. This evolutionary lens explains why so many individuals benefit from the practice today, as our cells and tissues tap into deep-rooted healing mechanisms triggered by the pressures our ancestors likely encountered.
Our discussion with Dr. Dituri sheds light on how hyperbarics offer more than just short-term relief, they’re an echo of our
John Welbourn is Founder/CEO of Power Athlete Inc and former NFL player. John was drafted with the 97th pick in 1999 NFL Draft and went on to be a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, appearing in 3 NFC Championship games, and started for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early with him retiring in 2009. Over the course of his NFL career, John started over 100 games regular season games with 10 play-off appearances. He was a four-year letterman while playing football at the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated from the college of letters and sciences with a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric in 1998. And did his Masters work at the UC Berkeley School of Education in 1999. Since retiring from the NFL, John has worked extensively with the NFL, NHL, MLB, Olympic athletes, the US Army and Naval Special Warfare. He works as a consultant and advisor for several companies focused on improving human performance through training, nutrition and fitness-based technologies. John provides daily coaching and mentorship to over 5000 athletes around the world through his Power Athlete Coaches Network and training program delivery platform. Since in 2013, John has hosted a weekly podcast, Power Athlete Radio; a podcast dedicated to improving performance and connecting with some of the smartest people on the planet. With more than 700 episodes Power Athlete Radio has proven to be on the top podcasts in the strength and conditioning realm. John travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition for Power Athlete and as a keynote speaker. John is a married father of three and resides in Austin, Texas. You can catch up with him at his personal blog, “Talk To Me Johnnie”, at Power Athlete or on social media @johnwelbourn.