Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (1.4 ATA) and Endometriosis: What Clinical Research Shows

Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women and is driven by chronic inflammation, altered immune activity, and abnormal tissue growth outside the uterus. Symptoms often include pelvic pain, fatigue, heavy periods, and fertility challenges.

Alongside conventional medical and surgical treatments, many people explore supportive therapies. One increasingly discussed option is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) — including lower-pressure protocols around 1.4 ATA, as used at Hyperbaric House.

This article explains what HBOT at 1.4 ATA does, how it may relate to endometriosis biology, and what current clinical and pre-clinical research actually supports.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy involves breathing oxygen inside a pressurised chamber. At 1.4 ATA, pressure is modestly above normal atmospheric levels, increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved directly in blood plasma and delivered into tissues.

Lower-pressure HBOT (1.3–1.5 ATA) is often referred to as mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy and is commonly used in wellness and recovery settings.

At 1.4 ATA, physiological effects can include:

• Increased tissue oxygen availability

• Support for microcirculation

• Modulation of inflammatory signalling

• Support for cellular repair processes

While hospital HBOT treatments often use higher pressures (2.0+ ATA), lower ATA protocols still produce measurable oxygenation changes — just at a more moderate level.

Research shows that endometriosis lesions often exist in low-oxygen (hypoxic) microenvironments. Hypoxia contributes to:

• Persistent inflammation

• New blood vessel formation

• Lesion survival signalling

• Activation of inflammatory pathways such as NF-κB and HIF-1α

Because HBOT increases oxygen delivery to tissues, researchers have investigated whether oxygen therapy could help reduce inflammatory activity associated with endometriotic lesions.

Most published research so far comes from animal models, not large human trials.

Controlled laboratory studies in rodents with induced endometriosis have shown that hyperbaric oxygen exposure:

• Reduced lesion size

• Lowered inflammatory markers (including TNF-α)

• Reduced pro-inflammatory pathway activation

• Improved tissue histology scores

These findings support a biological rationale for oxygen therapy influencing endometriosis-related inflammation.

Important context: Most of these studies used higher HBOT pressures than 1.4 ATA. That means results cannot be directly transferred — but they help explain the underlying mechanisms by which increased oxygen availability may be beneficial.

Human research specifically studying HBOT for endometriosis is still emerging.

An active registered clinical trial (HEROES trial) is currently investigating whether adding HBOT to standard endometriosis treatment can reduce pain and improve quality of life. Results have not yet been published.

Because of this, HBOT — especially at lower pressures — should currently be viewed as:

A supportive therapy under investigation — not a proven primary treatment.

Clinical research in adjacent reproductive areas provides additional context.

Studies in fertility medicine have shown HBOT can help:

• Improve endometrial thickness

• Improve uterine blood flow

• Support implantation outcomes in patients with resistant thin endometrium

These findings suggest oxygen therapy can influence pelvic and endometrial tissue physiology — though again, many of these protocols used pressures above 1.4 ATA.

Based on known oxygen physiology and current research, 1.4 ATA HBOT may help support:

• Tissue oxygen delivery

• Microvascular function

• Inflammatory balance

• Recovery and general well-being

However, it is important to be clear:

• It is not a cure for endometriosis

• It is not a replacement for medical care

• Clinical proof at 1.4 ATA specifically is still limited

Responsible providers present HBOT as adjunctive support, not disease reversal.

Lower ATA protocols are generally well tolerated when properly supervised and screened. Compared with higher medical pressures, 1.4 ATA typically involves:

• Lower barotrauma risk

• Lower oxidative stress load

• Greater comfort for repeat sessions

People with lung disease, uncontrolled asthma, ear or sinus problems, or certain eye conditions should consult a clinician before starting.

If you’re interested in experiencing HBOT at 1.4 ATA as part of your recovery and wellness plan, Hyperbaric House offers supervised sessions in a calm, supportive environment.

Taster Session Offer:
Use code END40 for 40% off your first session.

Visit: www.hyperbaric-house.com

Ongoing clinical trials include:

https://biotechhunter.com/trials/NCT06579040

The HEROES Trial: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Endometriosis-Related Pain

(recruiting participants into a study of HBOT for pelvic pain)

For more trial information, see

https://clinconnect.io/trials/NCT06579040

https://www.allclinicaltrials.com/study/NCT06579040

Pre-clinical research supporting mechanisms includes

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9334893/, mouse model inflammation reduction and

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21960508/ rat model lesion reduction