Why You Need More Oxygen

Do you need additional oxygen in your body?

Chances are you don’t know the answer to this question. Here’s some food for thought to help you to decide if you might not be getting enough oxygen:

Physical Activity and Exercise Decrease Oxygenated Blood

Your body needs oxygen all the time. Your body uses O² and glucose as the building blocks for energy. You must constantly replace energy to maintain your body’s functions, like breathing, heart pumping, and organs working. In part, this happens by taking in more by breathing.

As your muscles move, their metabolic rate increases. Your muscles need energy which means they need oxygen. To get more energy, they produce more ATP, the chemical energy molecule, and you need O² to produce ATP. The more ATP your body produces, the more oxygen your body requires.

Altitude Makes a Difference

At above sea level altitudes, the barometric pressure of the atmosphere is less. The higher you go, the lower the barometric pressure and the farther apart the molecules of O2 become. The oxygen content in each breath decreases as you reach altitude. In turn, the O² saturation in the blood and brains decreases for unacclimatized people who go into higher environments. It is common for travelers from sea level to feel pretty lousy for the first week after arriving at high elevations

Here is a chart created by Hypoxico showing the O² levels for different places on earth:

Other Reasons for Low Oxygen Levels

Here are several more ways you could be oxygen-deprived:

• Reduced Environmental Oxygen and Hypoventilation
• Lung Disorders
• Circulatory Disorders
• Anemia

Hypoxemia (low blood O² levels) ranges from mild to severe. A medical evaluation is required to determine the underlying cause and the best treatment for a mild decrease in blood oxygen.

Symptoms of oxygen deficiency in the body can include physical or emotional symptoms. It is more likely that you will notice hypoxia symptoms because they occur suddenly.

Other warning signs and symptoms of hypoxia include:

• shortness of breath or breathlessness with minimal exertion
• increased heart and breathing rate
• lightheadedness or dizziness
• frequent headaches
• irritability, restlessness, or confusion

It is vital to seek emergency medical care if you experience difficulty breathing or chest pain.

Summary

Article Name

Why You Need More Oxygen

Description

Do you need more oxygen in your body? Chances are you don't know, This article gives you some food for thought to help you know if you do...

Author

Robert Woolley