What is ozone therapy?
It is the administration of medical ozone gas to the body at defined concentrations and by defined routes. In Türkiye it is a procedure that requires a Ministry of Health certificate. At IV Point, ozone therapy is administered by an anesthesiology specialist holding a Ministry of Health-approved Ozone Therapy Certificate, after a pre-treatment assessment and the required screening.
Who Is Allowed to Administer Ozone Therapy?
We start with this question, because it is the most overlooked issue — and for visitors comparing clinics in Istanbul, the most useful one.
In Türkiye, ozone administration falls under the Ministry of Health’s Traditional and Complementary Medicine (GETAT) regulation and may be performed only by physicians with certified training, in authorized centres. Uncertified administration is against the regulations.
At IV Point, ozone therapy is carried out under a Ministry of Health-approved Ozone Therapy Certificate, obtained from the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Centre of the University of Health Sciences Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital.
If you are considering ozone therapy — here or anywhere — we recommend asking whether this certificate is held at the clinic you visit. It is a question you should never hesitate to ask.
How Does Ozone Work?
Ozone’s mechanism rests on an idea that looks contradictory at first: ozone is a powerful oxidant — and its therapeutic effect comes precisely from that.
The key concept: dose
Ozone’s effect is entirely dose-dependent. High doses create serious oxidative stress, leading to an inflammatory response and tissue damage; low concentrations create a mild oxidative stimulus that activates antioxidant pathways.2
The best way to explain it is an analogy from one of the field’s founding figures, Velio Bocci: like exercise. Measured exercise is good for health; too much of it does harm.1
And that is the answer to why training, certification and a calibrated device matter so much in ozone therapy. What separates effectiveness from toxicity is the dose.
What happens in the cell?
When ozone meets blood, the dose determines which of two cellular pathways is engaged:1
- Severe oxidative stress activates the transcription factor NFκB; the result is an inflammatory response and tissue damage.
- Mild oxidative stress activates the factor Nrf2. Nrf2 initiates transcription of antioxidant response elements (ARE) and increases the production of antioxidant enzymes — superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, heme oxygenase-1.
In other words, ozone does not deliver antioxidants from outside — it stimulates the body’s own antioxidant production. This mechanism is called “ozone oxidative preconditioning” and was first described in the 1990s.3
Has this been shown in humans?
Partly, yes. In a study of healthy volunteers, three sessions of major autohemotherapy on alternate days were followed by increased Nrf2 levels in white blood cells, with increases in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity by the end of the study.4
That is direct evidence the mechanism operates in humans. But the study is small, and “the mechanism works” and “it helps in this disease” are different claims.
Other proposed effects
- Support for red-blood-cell flexibility and the release of oxygen to tissues
- Support for microcirculation
- Modulation of the immune response
One clarification: ozone does not increase the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity — that is determined by hemoglobin. The proposed mechanism is support for oxygen release to the tissues. The distinction may look small, but it matters; it is a frequently misreported point.
On the state of the evidence: ozone’s cellular mechanism is relatively well described. But a defined mechanism does not mean clinical benefit in every field of use. The level of evidence varies greatly by application. We position what we offer as a supportive treatment, not as a therapy for disease.
Why Is Ozone Gas Never Injected Directly Into a Vein?
This section matters, and most sources skip it.
Ozone gas is not injected directly into a vein. The reason is the risk of air embolism; the literature reports that this practice can be fatal.5
That is exactly why major autohemotherapy exists: your blood is drawn, mixed with ozone outside the body, and then returned. What enters your vein is not ozone gas — it is your own ozonated blood.
This distinction is also the source of the confusion created by the phrase “IV ozone”. Direct intravascular ozone gas administration is known to be practised in some places; that method is not used at IV Point.
Ozone Gas Is Not Inhaled During Treatment
A question we hear often: is the gas breathed in? No — every method of ozone therapy is designed so that the gas is administered without being inhaled.5 In local applications such as bagging, the head is always kept outside the treatment area, and ozone is not taken by mouth either. This is simply a standard part of how the treatment is performed — there is nothing you need to watch out for yourself during a session.
In local applications such as bagging, the head is always kept outside the treatment area. Ozone is also never taken by mouth.
Ozone Therapy Methods Used at IV Point
The method is chosen after the pre-treatment assessment, according to your goal and health status.
Major Autohemotherapy. The most comprehensive systemic method. Drawn blood is mixed with medical ozone in a sterile, ozone-resistant container and returned through the same IV line. A session takes about 30 minutes.
Multipass (Sequential) Ozone. An intensive protocol in which the major autohemotherapy cycle is repeated several times within one session, allowing a higher total dose. A session averages 30–60 minutes depending on the number of passes. This method is not suitable for everyone; it requires a separate assessment.
Rectal Insufflation. A systemic method that does not use an IV line. Because it involves no blood draw and return, it can be preferred for people with difficult veins or needle anxiety. It is brief.
Minor Autohemotherapy. A small amount of blood is ozonated and injected intramuscularly.
Intra-articular administration. An ozone-oxygen mixture applied into the joint space — most often considered for the knee. Unlike the systemic methods it targets a specific area and requires a separate assessment. If your joint complaint has not yet been evaluated by an orthopedics or physical-medicine specialist, the first step is getting the diagnosis.
Other local applications. Methods such as bagging target specific areas. In bagging, the head is always kept outside the treatment area.
Potential Benefits
- Support for microcirculation
- Stimulation of the cell’s own antioxidant defence systems
- A contribution to the modulation of the immune response
- Support for a general sense of energy and wellbeing
Effects vary from person to person. This treatment does not treat disease, does not slow aging, and does not replace medical treatment.
Who Might Consider This Supportive Treatment?
- Adults looking for general wellbeing support
- People for whom circulation support is being considered
- People for whom rectal insufflation is being considered in the context of gut health
- People seeking support around surgery, with their own physician’s knowledge
- People with a joint complaint who have been assessed by their own physician and for whom intra-articular administration is being considered
Note: if you have ongoing fatigue, the first step is not this treatment but investigating the cause. B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, thyroid dysfunction and sleep disorders are identified with blood tests and an examination.
Who Is It Not Suitable For?
Ozone therapy has clear contraindications, which is why the pre-treatment assessment cannot be skipped.
Absolute contraindications:
- G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) enzyme deficiency. An inherited trait; because it is carried on the X chromosome it appears predominantly in men, and most people do not know they carry it. In this condition, the controlled stimulus created by ozone can affect red blood cells.5 That is why we screen for G6PD with a simple blood test before systemic ozone administration, planning the screening decision around each person’s history.
- Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism. Ozone’s metabolic stimulation can worsen this picture.
- Thrombocytopenia and clotting disorders
- Active bleeding
- Severe anemia
- Pregnancy, especially the first trimester
- Recent heart attack and serious cardiovascular instability
- Known hypersensitivity to ozone
Situations requiring separate assessment:
- Uncontrolled diabetes — ozone can affect glucose utilization
- Anticoagulant (blood thinner) use
- A history of seizures
- Active infection and immunosuppression
- Chemotherapy or radiotherapy — your oncologist’s approval is required
Tell us about every medication you use before the treatment.
Possible Side Effects
- Temporary redness, tenderness or bruising at the IV site
- Temporary tiredness or mild dizziness after the session
- Short-lived weakness after administration — usually resolving the same day
- A temporary feeling of gas or bloating with rectal insufflation
- Allergic reaction (rare)
You are monitored throughout, and equipment to respond to a possible reaction is kept ready.
Before, During and After
Before: no need to fast. Tell us about your medications, chronic conditions, any bleeding or clotting problems, and any thyroid condition. If systemic administration is planned, G6PD screening and a blood count are requested; if your family has a known G6PD deficiency or a history of feeling unwell after eating fava beans, be sure to say so.
During: major autohemotherapy takes about 30 minutes; multipass averages 30–60 minutes. Rectal insufflation, minor autohemotherapy and intra-articular administration are shorter.
After: we recommend drinking plenty of water. A temporary feeling of tiredness can occur.
References
- Sagai M, Bocci V. Mechanisms of action involved in ozone therapy: is healing induced via a mild oxidative stress? Medical Gas Research. 2011;1:29. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22185664
- Galiè M, Covi V, Tabaracci G, Malatesta M. The Role of Nrf2 in the Antioxidant Cellular Response to Medical Ozone Exposure. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2019;20(16):4009. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31426459
- León OS, Menéndez S, Merino N, et al. Ozone oxidative preconditioning: a protection against cellular damage by free radicals. Mediators of Inflammation. 1998;7(4):289-294. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9792340
- Re L, Martínez-Sánchez G, Bordicchia M, et al. Is ozone pre-conditioning effect linked to Nrf2/EpRE activation pathway in vivo? A preliminary result. European Journal of Pharmacology. 2014;742:158-162. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25218903
- Ozone Therapy in Medicine and Dentistry: A Review of the Literature. Dentistry Journal. 2023;11(8):187. mdpi.com
Written and medically reviewed by: Ömer Fatih Şahin, MD Specialist in Anesthesiology & Reanimation — Ministry of Health-approved Ozone Therapy Certificate — Last updated: 27.08.2026
The content on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical treatment. The treatment is administered to individuals found suitable after the pre-treatment assessment and required screening. If you have an existing condition or take medication, consult your physician.
