Can Flying Make a Concussion Worse? Oxygen, Brain Injury, HBOT & Longevity Research with Dr. DeepSea | E80

FREE COPY of SHATTERED TO STRONG for veterans and active-duty military personnel. To request a copy, simply email info@ibum.org and include your branch of military service and how long you served.

Can hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) help the brain recover after a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI)? And is it safe to fly after a concussion? 

Dr. Joseph Dituri, better known as Dr. DeepSea, returns to Life After Impact: The Concussion Recovery Podcast to discuss groundbreaking research into hyperbaric oxygen therapy for brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, neuroinflammation, brain healing, and longevity. A retired U.S. Navy commander, biomedical engineer, neuroscience researcher, and Guinness World Record holder, Dr. Dituri is involved in a major clinical trial at the University of South Florida investigating HBOT for traumatic brain injury. In this second interview with Dr. Ayla Wolf, he shares updates on the ongoing research, explains how changes in oxygen levels and atmospheric pressure affect human physiology, and explores whether alternating between high-oxygen and low-oxygen environments could improve brain function and healthy aging.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Where Does the Research Stand?

Dr. Dituri provides an update on the University of South Florida's ongoing clinical trial investigating hyperbaric oxygen therapy in people with traumatic brain injury, including military veterans.

While HBOT has demonstrated biological effects relevant to inflammation, tissue repair, and neuroplasticity, its effectiveness as a treatment for persistent post-concussion symptoms remains an active area of investigation.

The research team is collecting extensive data, including EEG measurements, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), blood biomarkers, and patient-reported symptoms.

One of the biggest challenges? How do researchers objectively measure recovery from a traumatic brain injury when there is no universally accepted biological marker of recovery?

Dr. Dituri discusses the difficulty of establishing meaningful clinical trial endpoints and why combining objective neurological measurements with patient-reported improvements may be essential for advancing concussion research.

Is It Safe to Fly After a Concussion?

One of the most interesting parts of this conversation addresses a question frequently raised by people recovering from concussion:

Can flying make post-concussion symptoms worse?

Commercial aircraft cabins are typically pressurized to the equivalent of approximately 6,000–8,000 feet above sea level. This means passengers experience changes in atmospheric pressure and oxygen availability, even while sitting comfortably inside an airplane.

I ask Dr. Dituri about how these environmental changes might affect someone experiencing headaches, brain fog, dizziness, vestibular dysfunction, or other persistent concussion symptoms.

They also discuss why the effects of a short domestic flight may differ from those of a long international flight—and why more research is needed to understand how recent brain injuries interact with altitude and cabin pressure.

Importantly, there is not enough evidence to establish a universal waiting period before flying after an uncomplicated concussion. Individual medical circumstances and symptoms matter.

Can Alternating Oxygen Levels Improve Brain Health and Longevity?

Dr. Dituri has spent much of his career studying human physiology under extreme environmental conditions.

Now, his research is expanding beyond brain injury recovery into healthy aging and longevity.

As part of the XPRIZE Healthspan competition, his team is investigating a fascinating concept called hormesis—the idea that carefully controlled physiological stress may stimulate beneficial adaptations.

Their research combines several interventions, including:

• Hypobaric exposure: Simulating higher-altitude environments with reduced atmospheric pressure and oxygen availability.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Increasing atmospheric pressure and oxygen exposure.
• Exercise: Challenging cardiovascular and metabolic systems.
• Cold-water immersion and sauna: Investigating physiological responses to controlled temperature stress.
• Red light therapy: Exploring photobiomodulation as another potential influence on cellular function.

The goal is not simply to extend lifespan, but to improve healthspan—the years people maintain cognitive function, physical strength, balance, and independence.

Dr. Dituri discusses the team's progress in the XPRIZE competition and why he believes the relationship between oxygen, physiological stress, and adaptation deserves further investigation.

These combined interventions remain experimental, and their benefits for longevity have not yet been established.

From Shattered to Strong: Finding a Path Forward After Brain Injury

Dr. Dituri also introduces his new book, Shattered to Strong, inspired by his personal experience recovering from traumatic brain injury.

His goal is to help people better understand the treatment options they may encounter, the research behind those interventions, and the questions they should ask before pursuing them.

The conversation explores the importance of informed decision-making, lifestyle factors that support general brain health, and the challenge of navigating emerging treatments when the science is still evolving.

Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Dituri reflects on how his understanding of traumatic brain injury has changed over the past decade.

What once appeared to be a relatively straightforward neurological problem has revealed itself to be far more complicated.

Brain injury recovery is not one-size-fits-all, and the more we learn about the brain, the more questions we discover.

Listen to Our First Conversation

If you missed my first interview with Dr. Dituri, I highly recommend listening to Episode 32: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Brain Injuries with Dr. Deepsea.

In that conversation, we explore his extraordinary experience living underwater for 100 days, his personal traumatic brain injury recovery, and the science behind hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

This second conversation builds on that foundation, bringing new research updates and expanding into the fascinating relationship between oxygen, atmospheric pressure, brain function, and longevity.