Dissolved Oxygen

Why You Need It

• Boosts Cellular Energy: Oxygen is the key component in creating ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the body's main energy currency.
• Supports Brain Function: Your brain uses about 20% of your body's oxygen. Optimal levels support focus, memory, and mental clarity.
• Aids Detoxification: Oxygen helps the body break down waste products and toxins for easier elimination.
• Enhances Athletic Performance: Better oxygen delivery to muscles means improved endurance and faster recovery.

Deep Dive

Oxygen doesn't work alone; it acts as the final electron acceptor in the mitochondria (the power plants of your cells). Without sufficient dissolved oxygen, your cells cannot efficiently convert food into energy, leading to a buildup of lactic acid and that familiar feeling of fatigue. While we get oxygen from breathing, factors like pollution, shallow breathing, and lack of exercise can reduce the oxygen saturation in our blood. Ensuring your body is well-oxygenated is like ensuring your car's engine gets a steady flow of air to burn fuel cleanly.

Natural Ways to Increase Oxygen

Interestingly, we don't 'eat' dissolved oxygen in the same way we eat minerals. Instead, we consume it in water and improve our body's ability to use it through certain foods.

Top Sources of Oxygen-Rich Water & Oxygen-Producing Foods:

Supplementation

Oxygenated Water & Supplements: There are bottled waters and supplements marketed as 'oxygenated'. While they contain higher levels of DO, research is mixed on whether this actually bypasses the lungs to boost blood oxygen. Breathing deeply and exercising remain the most effective methods. However, drinking clean, well-oxygenated water is generally a healthy habit.