An oxygen bar is a place where healthy people pay about a dollar a minute to breathe 99 percent pure oxygen for an average of 15 to 20 minutes. The oxygen bar concept grew out of concerns about pollution in the environment and first appeared in Japan, Mexico and South America. A hand-held canister dispenses oxygen via plastic tubing hooked to a person's nose.
Users claim to feel more energized, less stressed and more productive after inhaling the oxygen.
But there is no solid, scientific evidence to date that supports the idea that healthy people can improve vitality by inhaling oxygen. Any burst of energy attributed to inhaling an enriched oxygen mixture is unlikely to last for more than a few minutes. The lungs can only transfer a limited amount of an enriched oxygen mixture to the blood and the rest is simply exhaled. Too much oxygen, in fact, can cause severe problems. Excessive oxygen can hinder brain, heart, lung, muscle and memory function.