Knowledge
Compression of Morbidity vs. Expansion of Morbidity – Where does HBOT stand today?
We are living longer – but we are sick for longer (Expansion of Morbidity).
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The central question in longevity research is not only ‘Will we live longer?’, but ‘Will we live those additional years in good health or in poor health?’ This is referred to as morbidity compression (compression of the disease phase at the end of life) or morbidity expansion (the disease phase becomes longer and longer).
What does the evidence say about HBOT and morbidity compression? (As of 2025)
Study / Cohort | Design | Result regarding morbidity | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
Shai Efrati et al., 2020–2023 (Israel) | 65+, healthy elderly individuals, 60 HBOT sessions | Studies by the Efrati group (Israel) reported changes in cognitive test scores and cerebral blood flow in healthy older participants after 60 HBOT sessions (small studies, short follow-up). | Indications; long-term data lacking |
Assessment
Whether HBOT contributes to a compression of morbidity has not been scientifically established; the available studies are small, mostly without control groups and have short follow-up.
Limitation
Most studies have only been running for 1–5 years so far. We will only know in 15–20 years whether compression lasts until the end of life (i.e. whether you are really still fit at 95 and die quickly at 96).
Whether the changes observed in studies translate into more healthy years of life remains open and is the subject of ongoing research.
*‘The above summary is based on a response from the AI system Grok (version Grok 4, developed by xAI), queried on 27 November 2025.’
Note: This article reflects third-party studies and testimonials. Our devices are not medical devices; we make no claims of healing or efficacy.
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