Oxygen is the life wire

Oxygen is necessary to burn fuel(food), and through biochemical removal of carbon dioxide and production of water, the living system acquires energy to sustain life or do work. In humans, through this necessary catabolism, oxygen provides high energy biochemical intermediates, mainly adenosine triphosphate(ATP), that are required to do work or build our tissue. Oxygen is, therefore, essential for organ vitality. Since the brain is incapable of storing the high energy metabolic intermediates, it is the more important that it remains in continuous supplies of oxygen or else it soon dies. It takes just 5 minutes for the human brain tissue deprived of oxygen to die.

Good and radiant health requires good oxygenation of body tissues. It is, therefore, important that we develop good breathing techniques, through regular exercises, to keep our brain alert, allow our muscles and other vital organs to function optimally and keep us balanced in life. Good breathing is one that is neither too fast nor too slow as dictated by the mechanics of the lungs, which are our gaseous exchange organ. Our lungs will not carry out their function properly if the brain is not in good health and this requires both oxygen transportation by the blood through the pumping action of the heart.

In most medical emergencies, the objective is to keep the brain alive by maintaining good supply of oxygen. The prudent thing to do is to maintain patent airway and make breathing good. Then blood circulation should be maintained and this may require, first, arresting any bleeding. Oxygen must be carried to the brain, kidney and other organs for vitality and this requires circulation. If breathing is non-existent, artificial ventilation, first, by mouth-to-mouth may be life-saving. If the heart is not functioning, cardiac massage does not only cause blood to circulate artificially but it may also stir the pacemaker of the heart to action, to restore the heart beat. In stroke, the affected part of the brain is deprived of oxygen and begins to die. Good oxygenation, as first-line management, will reduce the extent/severity of the damage and any impairment of function. In heart attack, good oxygenation will reduce the damage to heart tissue that may lead to heart block and arrest.

The bottom line is that we need oxygen to maintain good health as much as we need it in failing health to restore life. Maintaining the right weight, eating the right foods and exercising regularly keep our airways and arteries patent, strengthen our heart muscles, keep us in good supply of oxygen and make us vibrant.

As therapy, hyperbaric oxygen is used to control infection, remove devitalized tissue, excess tissue scaffolding, fat and supply lowly vascularized tissue, which red blood cells cannot adequately supply. The body mitigates oxidative toxicity ( stress) by maintaining a reduced intracellular environment.


Dr Oliver Verbe Birnso

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