Question

You cannot affect the oxygen delivery to your tissues by drinking "oxygenated water." However, breathing oxygen at hyperbaric pressures does increase oxygen delivery to the tissues. Explain why these two statements are true.

Short answer

In summary, drinking oxygenated water cannot affect oxygen delivery to the tissues because the digestive system cannot absorb dissolved oxygen and it is not bound to hemoglobin. On the other hand, breathing oxygen at hyperbaric pressures increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood, leading to enhanced oxygen delivery to the tissues. This is because more oxygen is available for hemoglobin binding and for the blood plasma, directly impacting cellular respiration and other physiological processes.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Oxygen Delivery to Tissues

Oxygen is vital for the survival of cells in our body, as it is used by cells to produce energy through a process called cellular respiration. The primary method of oxygen delivery to tissues is through the bloodstream, where oxygen binds to a protein called hemoglobin present in red blood cells. The oxygen is then released to the tissues as needed.

Drinking "Oxygenated Water"

Oxygenated water is water that has been infused with dissolved oxygen. The idea behind drinking oxygenated water is that the extra dissolved oxygen would increase the oxygen levels in the body, theoretically increasing energy levels and overall health. However, this method is not effective in increasing oxygen delivery to the tissues. The oxygen in oxygenated water is dissolved and not bound to hemoglobin, so it cannot directly contribute to the oxygen amount transported in the blood. Additionally, the stomach and the digestive system absorb nutrients and not gases, meaning that the dissolved oxygen in the water would be mostly expelled from the body.

Breathing Oxygen at Hyperbaric Pressures

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment, where the atmospheric pressure is greater than the normal pressure that we breathe at sea level. Breathing oxygen at hyperbaric pressures increases the amount of oxygen that is dissolved in the blood plasma. This, in turn, allows more oxygen to be delivered to tissues, enhancing various physiological processes, such as cellular respiration, healing, and immune response.

Conclusion

Both statements are true because oxygen delivery to the tissues primarily depends on the amount of oxygen bound to hemoglobin in the blood and the overall oxygen levels in the bloodstream. Drinking oxygenated water does not affect oxygen delivery as the digestive system cannot absorb the dissolved oxygen, whereas breathing oxygen at hyperbaric pressures increases the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood, leading to enhanced oxygen delivery to the tissues.