Ozone therapy is the controlled medical use of a mixture of pure oxygen and ozone gas. It has been investigated for more than 40 years as a complementary and supportive approach in areas such as circulatory disorders, chronic wound management, and immune response regulation.
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Key Points
- Ozone therapy is a complementary and supportive medical approach; it is not a substitute for standard diagnosis or treatment.
- It has been investigated in circulatory disorders, chronic wounds, and immune-related conditions.
- The method, dose, and session plan should always be determined by a physician according to the patient’s condition.
What Is Ozone Therapy?
Ozone (O3) is a high-energy form of oxygen. Ozone therapy refers to the controlled medical application of an oxygen-ozone gas mixture within defined protocols.
The aim is to support cellular oxygen utilization, redox balance, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and immune response regulation. These effects are being investigated in different clinical contexts, but ozone therapy should not be presented as a stand-alone cure for disease.
History
Ozone was first identified in the nineteenth century and began to be explored for medical use in the early twentieth century. In recent decades, medical ozone has been studied in supportive care models involving circulation, chronic wound management, and selected metabolic or inflammatory conditions.
Application Methods
Major autohemotherapy: A defined amount of blood is taken from the patient, exposed to an oxygen-ozone mixture, and returned to the patient under medical supervision.
Minor autohemotherapy: A small amount of blood may be mixed with ozone and administered intramuscularly in selected protocols.
Local applications: In wound care, ozone may be used through controlled local methods such as bagging or ozonated products when clinically appropriate.
Rectal or ozonated water applications: These may be considered in selected cases depending on physician assessment.
Note: The route, dose, and frequency must be personalized by a physician. Ozone gas must not be inhaled or injected directly into a vein.
Potential Supportive Effects
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May support microcirculation and tissue oxygen utilization.
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May contribute to antioxidant defense and redox balance.
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May help modulate immune and inflammatory responses.
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Has been investigated as supportive care in chronic wound management.
Scientific Evidence
International literature includes studies evaluating ozone therapy in peripheral arterial disease, diabetic foot ulcers, and chronic wound management. However, protocols, patient groups, and outcome measures differ across studies.
Therefore, ozone therapy should be considered only as a physician-supervised complementary approach and not as a replacement for standard medical care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ozone therapy safe?
How many sessions are required?
Are there side effects?
References
- [1] Bocci V. Ozone: A New Medical Drug. Springer; 2011.
- [2] Elvis AM, Ekta JS. Ozone therapy: A clinical review. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2011.
- [3] Smith NL, et al. Ozone therapy: An overview of pharmacodynamics, current research, and clinical applications. Med Gas Res. 2017.