The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is giving its students a breather ? literally ? by introducing “oxygen bars” on its campus.
Starting Oct. 1, students could “sip” on 92 percent pure oxygen streaming through inhalation tubes for an alternative relaxation technique.
Students are now offered an assortment of flavored shots to inhale, ranging from chocolate to eucalyptus. Participants can also detach themselves from the external world by focusing on a monotone sound played through earphones and by wearing sunglasses with minuscule blinking lights.
Marin John, business manager of TjohnE, the Grand Rapids, Mich. company running the oxygen bar, said she came up with the idea while watching kids at an oxygen bar on an MTV show.
John claims college campuses nationwide have been very receptive to the idea. She mentioned that some students see it as a relaxing activity to be performed during Homecoming week.
“I don’t proclaim oxygen bars [provide] medical benefits,” John said. “Some students experience a burst of energy, others feel no difference.”
However, John asserted that in order to experience the most beneficial effects, one must inhale for an average of eight to 15 minutes.
UNLV senior Nathan Heibel tested the oxygen bar experience out of curiosity. He reported breathing with greater ease and feeling slightly relaxed, and added that he would be interested to feel the effects of inhaling oxygen for longer than the initial five minutes.
John said any safety concerns regarding the length of inhalation are not necessarily pertinent, noting the United States Navy gave her information dispelling such concerns.
“They informed me a human being would have to breathe in concentrated oxygen for 900 consecutive hours for any negative consequences to [occur],” John said.
University of Wisconsin physiology professor Peter Lalley said breathing concentrated oxygen for extensive periods of time poses a danger to a person’s health. At the same time, he pointed out that the inhalation of oxygen for short time-spans is often administered therapeutically and does not ordinarily pose a problem.
He said the most important caution is that people should realize there has not been much evidence of substantial medical benefits induced by oxygen inhalation.
“If people [expect otherwise,] they should become more aware they are fooling themselves,” Lalley said.
Tiffany Hill, a sophomore at Western Illinois University said she went into an oxygen bar anticipating some type of an effect only to encounter none. She stated that an oxygen bar on her campus would be a waste of space.
There are those who think that having an oxygen bar on UW’s campus deserves consideration, however.
“I think it would get a lot of attendance as a many students are getting sick of regular bars,” UW senior Beau Roddy.
Since the oxygen business launch in 2002, TjohnE has provided oxygen bars to between 20 and 30 college campuses per academic semester. The company charges the university’s activity department a flat fee for six hours in order to circumvent cost to students.
