You know that fresh, clean smell in the air after it rains? That’s ozone, a powerful molecule that gets pulled from the atmosphere by electricity during a thunderstorm. Ozone is oxygen, but it’s different from the oxygen molecules you breathe. Its unique structure makes it a potent signaling molecule in your body, and a valuable biohacking tool. Did you know -- when ozone enters your body, the extra oxygen atom reacts with your cell membranes in your body almost immediately and forms lipoperoxides, a type of free radical?

For more than 100 years, ozone has been used to disinfect medical supplies and treat a multitude of medical conditions. While we make no claims that ozone will “cure” anything, below, we have compiled a list of studies and information regarding its benefits for certain conditions and body functions it helps to enhance.

For those new to ozone and just learning, we have a basic guide to understanding ozone to help you here.

Dental

Ozone as a dental therapy works to disinfect and prevent common dental issues with the administration of ozone gas. The negative charge of the ozone is naturally attracted to areas of inflammation and infection. When a cavity is exposed to ozone gas, which not only kills the bacteria surrounding the tooth but alters the environment so the bacteria is unable to flourish. The bacteria that live in your mouth thrive on acidity. Ozone neutralizes oral acidity, altering pH levels, so damaging oral bacteria is eradicated, leading to a healthier mouth and teeth.

The following conclusion was published regarding a study published in 2011: 

“In contrast with traditional medicine modalities such as antibiotics and disinfectants, ozone therapy is quite economical; it will markedly reduce both medical cost and invalidity. Dentistry is varying with the induction of modern science to practice dentistry. The ozone therapy has been more beneficial than present conventional therapeutic modalities that follow a minimally invasive and conservative application to dental treatment.” [1]

Wounds

Ozone may help prevent infection in wounds and shows tremendous promise across the board for wound healing and infection prevention. The two main factors, which influence the healing of wounds, include oxygenation and local infections. Oxygen is important for all cell metabolisms, ATP (energy) production, and critical for wound healing processes. Oxygen prevents wounds from getting infected, induces angiogenesis, differentiation, migration, and proliferation of cells, collagen synthesis, and promotes wound contraction. [2]

According to research from 2018 Trusted Source,, when ozone comes into contact with body fluids, the resulting reactions form more proteins and red blood cells. [3]  This increases oxygen supply in your body.

In patients with non-healing wounds, oxygen-ozone therapy could be helpful in speeding the healing and reducing the pain thanks to its disinfectant property and by the increase of endogenous oxygen-free radicals scavenging properties. [4]

Bacteria, Fungi, and Yeast

Ozone therapy may be used to disrupt unhealthy processes in your body from foreign invaders. Research has shown that ozone therapy can inactivate:

• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Fungi
• Yeast
• Protozoa

As we discussed in our Guide to Understanding Ozone, ozone therapy disrupts the integrity of the bacterial cell envelope through oxidation of the phospholipids and lipoproteins. In fungi, O3 inhibits cell growth at certain stages. With viruses, the O3 damages the viral capsid and upsets the reproductive cycle by disrupting the virus-to-cell contact with peroxidation. The weak enzyme coatings on cells that make them vulnerable to invasion by viruses make them susceptible to oxidation and elimination from the body, which then replaces them with healthy cells.

Breathing disorders

Your lungs have the responsibility of supplying oxygen to your blood, and breathing disorders like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can disrupt that. With the increased amount of oxygen in an ozone therapy treatment, you reduce the stress and responsibility on your lungs, while also providing the necessary oxygen to your body and blood. Studies have shown that ozone therapy can help protect the lungs from inflammation and injury caused by infection. [5]

People with breathing disorders may be good candidates for ozone therapy although more research is needed. A 2014 study looked at intravenous ozone therapy or injecting ozone mixed with blood, for treating COPD and found that the therapy improved quality of life and ability to exercise in former smokers with COPD. [6]

Diabetes

Is it time to integrate conventional therapy with ozone therapy in type-2 diabetes patients?

According to this study [7] in 2014,  one ozone treatment weekly performed for several years may definitively improve the diabetic patient recovery. 

Ozone therapy shows tremendous promise in reducing the risk of complications from diabetes, such as inflammation, wounds, and infections. Complications for those living with diabetes are often caused by oxidative stress in the body. Research from 2018 indicated that ozone may correct oxidative stress by activating the body’s immune and antioxidant systems and reducing inflammation and according to a 2019 study, ozone therapy in people with diabetic foot ulcers helped close the wound and reduced the chances of infection. An earlier study from 2015 via Trusted Source also found that ozone therapy could be helpful for wound healing, a common side effect of diabetes. 

Immune disorders

Thanks to its unique therapeutic qualities, ozone therapy can be an effective treatment for autoimmune diseases -- including Lyme Disease, Lupus, and even HIV. When circulated throughout the blood, ozone stimulates the immune system by promoting the release of certain proteins and hormones that cause the body to “rebalance” and stimulate its immune responses. 

A recent study found that ozone mixed with blood and injected into people with HIV significantly reduced their viral load over a 2-year period. [8] A lower viral load means less of the virus is present, which can improve long-term health. 

Is Ozone for You?

As you can see, there is broad potential for the use of ozone therapy for any multitude of conditions, and for simply assisting your body to become its most efficient version of itself. Whether you are struggling with a chronic illness, detoxing from mold toxicity, or biohacking your way to the next level, ozone may have a place in your life. 

Disclaimer: While ozone therapy can be a powerful tool for improving your health, it’s also potentially fatal if you do it incorrectly and inhales the ozone. Breathing ozone directly may irritate or damage lungs, especially in people with respiratory diseases.  If you’re going to do ozone therapy at home, do your research so you’re absolutely certain you know what you’re doing, and consult a doctor. Although ozone may have beneficial uses, it’s also an air pollutant and shouldn’t be inhaled. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises against using medical grade ozone air purifiers.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276005/
2. https://o3academy.com/o3-ozone-for-wound-healing/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6178642/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5055932
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3020392/
6. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emma_Borrelli/publication/267835619
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4260055/
8. https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/JO3T/article/view/11458/pdf

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