Far from a measly two or three percent, this latest study found telomeres in white blood cells taken from 26 subjects had regained around a fifth of their lost length.
The key, it seems, is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) – the absorbing of pure oxygen while sitting in a pressurised chamber for extensive periods; in this case, five 90 minute sessions per week over three months.In this study, the researchers were able to show that the genetic changes provoked by the HBOT has extended telomeres, and also had a potentially positive effect on the health of the tissues themselves.In a press release from The Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Efrati says understanding telomere shortening is "considered the 'Holy Grail' of the biology of aging".