What Is EBOO Therapy? Understanding One of Integrative Medicine's Most Talked About Therapies

"Life is in the blood." That simple phrase has become the foundation of many therapies designed to support the body's natural healing processes.

One treatment generating increasing interest in the integrative health community is EBOO, short for Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation. While it has been used for years in parts of Europe and other countries, many Americans are only now hearing about it for the first time.

Recently, I experienced an EBOO session myself, and it sparked a lot of questions:

• What exactly is EBOO?

• How does it work?

• Is it safe?

• Why are people traveling across the country to receive it?

  
  

Let's take a closer look.

What Is EBOO Therapy?

EBOO is an extracorporeal therapy, meaning blood temporarily circulates outside the body through a sterile, closed-loop system before being returned. An IV is started in one arm to draw blood out of the body which then travels through the machine and then is inserted back into the body through an IV in the other arm.

During the process, the blood is exposed to a carefully controlled mixture of medical oxygen and ozone while passing through specialized filtration equipment. The entire treatment is performed using sterile, single-use tubing and is supervised by trained healthcare professionals, typically an experienced RN or NP.

The procedure itself is somewhat similar in appearance to dialysis, although it serves a very different purpose. In my experince it was fairly painless save for the initial IV prick in each arm. I experienced a euphoric feeling about half way through which can be expected with the increase of oxygen in my system.

How Is EBOO Thought to Work?

Researchers continue to study the biological effects of medical ozone. Proposed mechanisms include supporting oxygen utilization, influencing oxidative signaling, and helping regulate the body's natural antioxidant responses. Rather than acting like a medication, practitioners describe ozone as creating a brief, controlled oxidative stimulus that may encourage the body's own adaptive and repair mechanisms.

Although these proposed mechanisms are biologically plausible and supported by laboratory research, larger clinical studies are still needed to determine how these effects translate into patient outcomes.

Why Are People Interested in EBOO?

Many people seeking integrative care explore EBOO as part of a broader wellness plan.

Practitioners may incorporate it alongside conventional medical care for individuals dealing with complex chronic health concerns. Patients have shared personal experiences involving:

• chronic inflammation

• persistent fatigue

• environmental exposures such as mold

• Lyme disease

• long COVID

• autoimmune conditions

• recovery support during or after conventional cancer treatment

• difficult-to-heal skin wounds
  

It is important to understand that these are patient experiences and clinical observations—not proof that EBOO treats or cures these conditions. Current scientific evidence remains limited, and more high-quality clinical trials are needed.

A Brief History

Medical ozone has been studied for well over a century.

Its earliest medical applications date back to the early 1900s, when physicians explored ozone for wound care and infection control before antibiotics became widely available.

Over the decades, researchers in Europe—particularly Italian physiologist Dr. Velio Bocci—helped advance modern ozone therapy techniques and contributed to the development of extracorporeal blood ozonation methods that eventually evolved into today's EBOO systems.

Today, ozone therapy is used in various forms in many countries, although regulations differ significantly around the world.

What Does the Research Say?

Current research suggests EBOO appears to be generally well tolerated when performed by trained professionals using appropriate sterile equipment and patient screening.

Like any procedure involving intravenous access and extracorporeal circulation, there are potential risks which are generally rare if the procedure is administered by qualified and trained professionals. These can include bruising, bleeding, low blood pressure, infection, clotting complications, or reactions related to anticoagulants used during treatment.

Researchers continue to investigate EBOO's role in integrative medicine, but there is not yet enough high-quality evidence to conclude that it effectively treats specific diseases.

Is EBOO FDA Approved?

In the United States, EBOO therapy has not been approved by the FDA to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

That does not necessarily mean the therapy is ineffective—it means sufficient evidence has not yet been established for FDA approval for medical claims.

As with many emerging integrative therapies, patients should discuss EBOO with their healthcare provider to determine whether it may be appropriate as part of their overall care plan.

Does the Machine Matter?

Many experienced ozone practitioners believe that equipment quality is an important consideration.

One system frequently mentioned is the original Trigen EBOO platform, which has a longer history of clinical use and was designed specifically for high-volume extracorporeal blood ozonation. Some practitioners prefer this system because of its engineering and extensive range and high quality treatment capabilities.

If you are considering EBOO therapy, ask your provider:

• Which EBOO system do you use?

• What training have you received?

• What safety protocols are followed?

• Is sterile, single-use equipment used for every patient?
  

Choosing an experienced provider is just as important as choosing the therapy itself.

My Experience

As someone who is naturally curious about emerging therapies in integrative medicine, I wanted to experience EBOO for myself before sharing it with our Natural Health Network community.

Overall, my experience was very positive.

Before my appointment, I made it a point to stay well hydrated and included electrolytes as part of my own preparation. Once the IVs were placed, the treatment itself felt surprisingly easy and relaxing. During the approximately one-hour session, I spent most of the time comfortably talking with the two nurses administering my treatment.

At one point, my hands became noticeably cold, which the nurses told me can happen during treatment. They immediately brought me a warm blanket and even helped me drink water through a straw since both of my arms were occupied with IV lines. Their attentiveness made me feel comfortable and well cared for throughout the session.

About halfway through the treatment, I noticed a calm, almost euphoric feeling that lasted through the remainder of the appointment. While everyone responds differently, that was my personal experience.

One thing I found especially interesting was what happened with my Oura Ring. Although I remained awake the entire time, my ring actually recorded part of my treatment as a nap. While wearable devices cannot determine exactly what is happening physiologically, I thought it was an interesting reflection of how relaxed my body appeared to be during the session.

The biggest surprise came later that night.

I experienced one of the best nights of sleep I can remember in years. I even slept about two hours later than my normal wake-up time despite being in a hotel, where I typically don't sleep as well. Since then, my Oura Ring has continued to show improvements in my sleep metrics compared with my typical baseline. While I can't conclude that EBOO was the sole reason for these changes, they have remained consistent enough for me to take notice.

Another personal observation has been a decrease in irritation from a stubborn patch of scalp psoriasis that I've dealt with for years. I should also note that I have also been more consistent in my use of close proximity red light therapy at home directing it on the "hot spot" area. Before this treatment, I typically needed to wash my hair every day because the itching became so intense. Since my EBOO session and red light therapy, I've noticed less irritation, allowing me to comfortably wash my hair every other day. Again, this is simply my individual experience and should not be interpreted as an expected outcome for others.

One reason I was interested in learning more about EBOO is my own health history. About two years ago, I underwent a partial thyroidectomy after being diagnosed with stage I minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma. That experience significantly shaped my passion for researching evidence-informed, integrative approaches to supporting overall health and wellness.

If you'd like to hear more about that journey, I share my thyroid cancer story in Season 2, Episode 1 of the Natural Health Network Podcast.

When researching where I wanted to receive EBOO, safety and experience were my top priorities. After doing extensive research, I chose Sunday's EBOO Lounge because of Sunday's more than 25 years of nursing experience, her specialized training in EBOO therapy, and her use of the original Trigen EBOO system, which many experienced practitioners in this field recognize for its long history of clinical use. I also chose their EBOO Safe protocol based on the options they offered and my personal health goals.

Please Note: Every person's health history, response to treatment, and goals are different. My experience should not be interpreted as medical advice or as a guarantee that others will have similar results.

I'm excited to share that we'll soon be welcoming Sunday to the Natural Health Network Podcast to discuss EBOO, answer common questions, explain what patients can expect, and talk about the current state of the research.

If you'd like to be notified when that episode is released—or if you'd like Sunday's contact information while her Natural Health Network directory listing is being finalized—feel free to email us at hello@naturalhealthnetwork.org.

Author's Note: My personal observations are anecdotal and reflect only my own experience. Current research into EBOO and medical ozone therapy is ongoing. While laboratory studies describe biologically plausible mechanisms involving oxidative signaling and antioxidant responses, high-quality clinical evidence demonstrating effectiveness for specific diseases remains limited, and EBOO has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. EBOO therapy has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment.