IHHT

IHHT – Cellgym

Interval Hypoxia Hyperoxia Therapy®

LESS ENERGY THROUGH AGING MITOCHONDRIA

Since their genetic material (DNA) is relatively sensitive, our mitochondria age particularly quickly. Our body’s repair mechanisms cause the DNA in damaged mitochondria to shorten. Since this short DNA can be duplicated more quickly, damaged mitochondria multiply more rapidly than intact ones and increasingly crowd them out.

As the powerhouses of our cells, mitochondria are primarily responsible for supplying us with energy. If many of them are damaged, energy production in our cells becomes increasingly inefficient. Over the years, the energy deficiency becomes increasingly noticeable, for example in the form of increased fatigue and exhaustion.

Dental-IQ by Dr. Helge Knüppel - Biological Dentistry and Dental Technology - Dr. Knüppel

What does Interval Hypoxia Hyperoxia Therapy® do?

IHHT is a special oxygen training program that increases the number of intact mitochondria. IHHT uses a simple trick for this cell training:

Fluctuating oxygen levels place particular stress on the mitochondria, which damaged and outdated mitochondria are unable to withstand. They die off, making room for healthy mitochondria. This is exactly what happens during IHHT, which causes a rhythmic alternation between oxygen-depleted (hypoxia) and oxygen-rich air (hyperpoxia) at intervals of a few minutes. Since intact mitochondria cope well with these conditions, they can reproduce better than damaged mitochondria and gradually replace them.

We know a similar effect to IHHT from sports, where the muscles experience a slight undersupply of oxygen (hypoxia) (known as oxygen debt). Although IHHT can and should not replace sports, it does have a few advantages as a “non-exercise endurance sport.”

benefits

IHHT can lower oxygen saturation in the blood more than is possible during exercise. The effect on the mitochondria is significantly more pronounced.
Unlike sports, IHHT does not produce lactic acid (lactate) in the muscles, which would acidify the tissue. At the same time, “acid-forming” carbon dioxide is exhaled during IHHT. IHHT is therefore a kind of “deacidifying endurance sport.” Constant exercise in the anaerobic zone, i.e., in oxygen debt, is extremely harmful to health due to the high build-up of lactic acid. Endurance sports in the so-called aerobic zone, where oxygen consumption and oxygen uptake are balanced, are much more beneficial.
IHHT is not strenuous and is therefore also suitable for people who are exhausted or not into sports. IHHT can also be an alternative for people who are unable to exercise due to illness, helping to increase the endurance and resilience of the body.

IHHT procedure

IHHT can be described as cell training without effort. You lie completely relaxed on a couch or sit in a comfortable chair while breathing a changing mixture of oxygen through a mask. During IHHT, you are supplied with oxygen-depleted air (hypoxia; stimulation phase) and oxygen-enriched air (hyperoxia; recovery phase) for a few minutes at a time. This alternation is where the name Interval Hypoxia Hyperoxia Therapy® comes from.

Since mitochondria initially break down more quickly, you may feel more tired at first before you recover.

In order to achieve a lasting effect, depending on the initial situation, weekly maintenance treatment over many weeks is recommended after the initial treatment of around ten sessions over approximately four weeks.

The effect of IHHT can definitely be compared to exercise. Only regular (cell) training can ensure lasting success. However, you can also view IHHT as a phase of regeneration that you can use to change your circumstances or lifestyle so that you feel better even without IHHT afterwards.

Some users compare IHHT to altitude training, as practiced during stays in high mountain regions. Even if this is not entirely correct from a physical point of view—at high altitudes, it is not the oxygen concentration in the air that we breathe that decreases, but the air pressure—the result is nevertheless comparable: the oxygen saturation in the blood decreases, triggering regeneration effects. Many people have already experienced the special recuperative effect of an active vacation in the mountains.

How does IHHT work?

The aim of IHHT is to increase the number of healthy mitochondria and suppress weak ones.

More functional mitochondria are known to ensure

  • more energy in the cells
  • better protection against oxidative stress
  • higher stress resistance

What is cellgym?

Cellgym IHHT is an advanced system for interval hypoxia-hyperoxia training based on over a decade of rigorous research and practical experience. IHHT stands for “Interval Hypoxia-Hyperoxia Therapy.” This method uses the alternation between oxygen deficiency (hypoxia) and oxygen excess (hyperoxia) to improve mitochondrial function and promote physical and mental health.

IHHT brings measurable health benefits—without any strenuous workouts. Boost your energy. Improve your performance. Strengthen your health.

By alternating between periods of inhaling oxygen-depleted and oxygen-rich air, IHHT initiates effects similar to those of altitude training by utilizing our body’s natural ability to adapt.

The best part? A cellgym treatment only takes 40 minutes and can be conveniently performed using the walk-in/walk-out procedure.