Sports science is an environment of constant change, adaptation, and innovation. Entire teams of researchers are testing various technologies to help athletes make marginal gains in performance and recovery. These seemingly small improvements add up to potentially career-changing differences in abilities.
Athletes looking for the latest developments to help them in their pursuit of improved physical performance will turn to innovative measures such as molecular hydrogen therapy.
The air you’ll breathe whilst lying in an AirPod (hydrogen therapy chamber) combines oxygen and molecular hydrogen in a pressurised environment greater than at sea level – our ‘normal atmosphere’. This combination is known as ‘hydroxy therapy’.
Here’s how athletes can benefit from hydroxy therapy…
As we exercise our heart rate increases. The fitter we are, the more efficient our cardiovascular system becomes and our heart rate during exercise reduces. Our heart develops the ability to do the same amount of work in fewer beats per minute through training.
Research shows that when people are exposed to molecular hydrogen therapy, their heart rate is lower during exercise. This improves exercise performance, allowing people to train and maintain physical performance for longer [1].
With compressed windows between competition, the speed and depth of recovery is paramount for ensuring peak performance. Research shows time and again that injury rates in athletes increase when recovery windows are cut short. With competition congestion increasing, we must look at other ways to improve recovery in order to reduce injury rates.
Hydrogen therapy has shown that it is effective at reducing inflammation [2], which is a by-product of high-intensity training and competition. When you reduce inflammation, you return your body to a game-ready state more quickly.
One of the worst side effects of intense training or competition is DOMS – delayed onset muscle soreness. This discomfort is a result of microtears in the muscles and connective tissues. These tears are rebuilt to cope with the demands of training.
Research into the use of hydrogen bathing, the likes of which you do in an AirPod shows that hydrogen bathing significantly reduced DOMS [3]. This will help you return to a pain-free state more quickly post-exercise.
Energy is the currency on which athletic performance trades. Without energy, any kind of human movement is impossible. As our ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the source of much of our energy) declines, our ability to move is significantly reduced.
Hydrogen supplementation is shown to improve our ability to generate energy, by helping with ATP production. With frequent hydrogen bathing sessions, our ability to generate energy is significantly improved [4].
Athletes train very hard, and one of the by-products of frequent, intense exercise is oxidative stress. This is where the body accumulates oxygen-reactive species (ROS) in cells and tissues faster than it can remove them and detoxify.
Oxidative stress is damaging to cells and tissues, as well as general wellbeing. There is good news, however. Research around the use of hydrogen therapy to ease oxidative stress shows it to be an effective therapy, so will help athletes avoid the issue. [5]
In a world where every single tiny advantage can have a disproportionate effect on success and results, you can’t leave a stone unturned. With molecular hydrogen therapy being so effective, backed with a significant amount of strong evidence, you should be considering utilising it as part of your training and recovery practice.
At RP-X we distribute Airpods that can offer your clients all of the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, improving their general wellness. Contact us to learn more about the products and services we offer and how it could be of benefit to you.
For more information on Airpods, pricing and the right model for you, contact us on info@rp-x.com or 01234 981913.
Image Source: Pexels
REFERENCES:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6425901/
[4] https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjpp-2019-0067
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731988/