A video posted by Rahiem Shabazz on Instagram features a guest claiming that hyperbaric oxygen therapy heals Cancer is being shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy cures & heals cancer.
Fact: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy could potentially slow down the growth of certain types of cancers and aid in healing and tissue repair by elevating oxygen levels in the body. However, there’s not enough evidence to confirm its effectiveness in curing cancer. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
On performing a reverse image search using the keyframes of the video, we found that the original video subject was initially streamed on YouTube on 5 August 2023. It was hosted by Latasha Kebe, who is also recognized as Tasha K. The guest in the episode discussing cancer was introduced as “Yahki Awakened” in the title. He runs an online herb-selling store called Yahki Awakened, and the founder, Alexander Hickman, is sometimes known as Yah’ki. He is described as a “master herbalist” on his website, but there is no information about any formal medical training in the field of cancer. Yah’ki mentions finding inspiration in “Dr. Sebi,” an herbalist whose name has been associated with false health claims debunked several times (here, here, and here).
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for cancer involves patients breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The increased pressure allows the lungs to take in more oxygen. In our research on Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and its relationship with cancer, we found that no study explicitly indicates that hyperbaric therapy cures cancer. According to MedlinePlus, an information service of the National Library of Medicine, Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is recognized for helping recover from radiation injuries, including those linked to cancer treatment. However, it doesn’t state that it can cure cancer. The National Institute of Cancer also clarifies that hyperbaric oxygen chambers don’t independently cure cancer but may enhance the impact of radiation therapy or chemotherapy on cancer cells.
A 2012 study examined the impact of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on various cancer types. The findings suggested that HBOT could potentially slow down the growth of certain cancers, like breast cancer. However, it doesn’t appear effective for cancers such as cervical and bladder cancers. Despite aiding in healing and tissue repair by elevating oxygen levels in the body, there’s not enough evidence to confirm its effectiveness in curing cancer or preventing cancer recurrence.
To sum up, there is no conclusive evidence proving that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy cures cancer.
