Why O2 Box Operates at 1.3 ATA

If you've spent any time researching hyperbaric options, you've probably noticed the numbers aren't consistent. Some systems reference higher pressures, some reference lower, and the terminology alone can be confusing. So it's a fair question, and one we hear often: why does O2 Box operate at 1.3 ATA specifically?

Pressure, in Plain Terms

ATA stands for "atmospheres absolute," a way of describing pressure relative to what we experience at sea level (1.0 ATA). Mild hyperbaric environments, like the one inside O2 Box, use a modest increase over that baseline. It's a meaningfully different category from higher-pressure hyperbaric systems, which typically involve 100% oxygen, hard-shell construction, and a much higher degree of regulatory oversight.

Lower ATA isn't a compromise. It's a deliberate design choice, and it's the range O2 Box is built around.

Why This Range, Specifically

A few things guided this decision:

Comfort and accessibility. A lower ATA environment is easier to acclimate to, easier to use consistently, and easier to build into a wellness routine, whether that's for an individual client or a busy practice offering it as a service.

Practicality for wellness spaces. Lower ATA systems generally come with fewer facility requirements and a more approachable safety profile than higher-pressure alternatives, which is part of why they fit naturally into spas, chiropractic offices, recovery studios, and gyms rather than clinical settings.

What the research shows in this range. This is the part we get asked about most, so let's look at it directly.

What the Research Says About 1.3 ATA

A 2022 study by Takemura et al. looked at what happened when healthy adults spent 45 minutes in a 1.3 ATA mild hyperbaric environment with about 30% oxygen, compared with normal air. Researchers found higher peripheral oxygen saturation and a lower heart rate after the mild hyperbaric exposure, along with measurable changes in blood pressure response.

A 2025 study by Hisamoto et al. took a different angle, looking at exercise performance. Participants cycled under three conditions, including a 1.3 ATA environment with 35% oxygen. In that condition, participants reached a significantly higher work rate before hitting their ventilatory threshold (the point where breathing starts to feel harder), and showed signs of lower cardiovascular strain along the way. In simple terms, they were able to do more work before their breathing became labored.

Neither study is about O2 Box specifically, but both were conducted in the same 1.3 ATA range O2 Box is designed around, which is why we point to them when people ask what's actually going on inside the chamber.

The Bottom Line

1.3 ATA isn't the highest pressure available on the market, and that's the point. It's a range chosen for a reason: to support oxygen availability and circulation in a setting that stays comfortable, repeatable, and realistic for everyday wellness use, whether that's a single session or a routine built over months.

That's the "why" behind the number.

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Source Lines:
Takemura A. Exposure to a mild hyperbaric oxygen environment elevates blood pressure. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2022;34(5):360-364.
Hisamoto et al. Mild hyperbaric hyperoxia improves aerobic capacity and suppresses cardiopulmonary stress during the maximal cycle-ergometer test. 2025.

Disclaimer: O2 Box is a wellness product and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Results vary.