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Can you absorb oxygen through water? The lungs remain the body's primary route for oxygen uptake, and current evidence does not show that drinking oxygenated water significantly increases blood oxygen saturation in healthy individuals. However, more recent research has shifted towards investigating whether certain oxygen-enriched water products influence other physiological responses associated with exercise, including blood lactate, exercise metabolism and tissue oxygenation. The result is a far more nuanced scientific picture than many people realise. (3–6)
Can You Absorb Oxygen Through Water?
The answer depends on the question you're really asking.
If you're asking whether drinking oxygenated water replaces breathing, the answer is no. If you're asking whether it dramatically increases blood oxygen levels in healthy people, current research also says no. However, if you're asking whether oxygen-enriched water may influence the body's physiological response to exercise in ways scientists are only beginning to understand, the conversation becomes far more interesting.
That's why researchers continue to study oxygen water.
Not because they're trying to prove people can breathe through their stomachs, but because they're investigating whether certain oxygen-enriched water products influence exercise physiology beyond the traditional measurements that dominated earlier research.
Understanding that distinction changes the conversation completely.
How Does the Body Normally Absorb Oxygen?
Every second of every day, your body depends on oxygen to produce energy and support normal physiological function.
When you breathe in, oxygen passes through millions of tiny air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli. From there, it enters the bloodstream, binds to haemoglobin within red blood cells and is transported throughout the body, where it plays an essential role in cellular respiration.
It is an extraordinarily efficient system.
In healthy individuals, blood oxygen saturation typically remains between 95% and 100%, even during many forms of exercise. The lungs continually adjust breathing rate and depth to meet changing oxygen demands, making them the body's primary—and overwhelmingly dominant—route for oxygen uptake.
Scientists have never disputed this.
Neither does KURE.
So Why Are Scientists Still Studying Oxygen Water?
This is where many online discussions become misleading.
Researchers are no longer trying to prove that oxygen water replaces breathing. That question has largely been answered. Instead, modern research asks something much more specific:
Can oxygen-enriched water influence physiological responses associated with exercise?
That's a very different question.
Exercise performance isn't determined by one biological system working in isolation. It depends on multiple systems interacting at the same time, including hydration, energy metabolism, cardiovascular function, recovery and fuel utilisation. As sports science has become more sophisticated, researchers have increasingly recognised that focusing on a single measurement rarely tells the whole story.
That shift in thinking has changed the direction of oxygen water research.
Rather than concentrating solely on blood oxygen saturation, scientists now investigate a much broader range of physiological responses before, during and after exercise.
Can the Digestive System Absorb Oxygen?
Technically, yes.
Like other dissolved gases, very small amounts of oxygen can be absorbed through the digestive system. However, current scientific evidence suggests this contributes very little to the body's overall oxygen supply in healthy individuals. (3,4)
If the goal were simply to increase oxygen circulating within the bloodstream, existing research has not demonstrated meaningful increases in blood oxygen saturation after drinking oxygen-enriched water. That finding has been replicated across several studies and remains an important part of the current evidence base.
However, it isn't the end of the story.
Blood oxygen saturation is only one physiological measurement, and modern exercise physiology now investigates many others. That shift has led researchers to ask broader questions about how oxygen-enriched water may influence the body's response to exercise, rather than focusing on oxygen saturation alone.
Why Early Research Created So Much Confusion
Much of oxygen water's reputation was shaped by research published during the early 2000s.
At the time, scientists were primarily interested in whether oxygenated water increased blood oxygen saturation, improved maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max) or extended endurance performance. Overall, the findings were underwhelming, with little evidence that oxygen water significantly altered these traditional measures in healthy individuals. (3,4)
Many people understandably concluded that oxygen water simply didn't work.
The problem wasn't the quality of the research.
The problem was assuming those were the only questions worth asking.
Modern sports science has moved well beyond judging performance using one or two isolated measurements. Researchers now investigate how multiple physiological systems respond together during exercise, recognising that performance and recovery are influenced by a complex interaction of metabolic, cardiovascular and muscular processes.
That evolution in thinking has fundamentally changed the direction of oxygen water research.
What Modern Research Investigates
Rather than focusing exclusively on blood oxygen levels, researchers increasingly investigate a wider range of physiological responses, including:
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Blood lactate.
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Exercise metabolism.
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Respiratory exchange ratio (RER).
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Tissue oxygenation.
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Recovery-related physiological responses.
Together, these measurements provide a broader understanding of how the body responds before, during and after exercise.
Importantly, this does not prove that oxygen water enhances performance. Instead, it reflects a more sophisticated approach to research. Rather than asking whether oxygen water simply increases oxygen in the bloodstream, scientists are investigating whether certain oxygen-enriched water products influence other aspects of exercise physiology under controlled conditions.
That distinction matters.
Science advances by asking better questions—not by expecting a single experiment to provide every answer.
Why Product-Specific Research Matters
Perhaps the biggest misconception surrounding oxygen water is the assumption that every product should perform identically.
In reality, different manufacturers use different production methods, oxygen concentrations, technologies and approaches to maintaining dissolved oxygen within the water. As a result, oxygen-enriched water products should not automatically be treated as scientifically identical.
Imagine judging every protein powder using research conducted on a completely different formulation.
Few people would consider that reasonable.
The same principle applies here.
Products should be judged on the evidence supporting the product itself—not the category as a whole.
That is exactly why KURE invested in independent university research rather than relying on broad claims about oxygen water.
The First Step: London South Bank University
Scientific understanding rarely develops through a single study. Instead, knowledge builds gradually as researchers answer one question while uncovering new ones.
The first independent university investigation into KURE was conducted by London South Bank University, where researchers explored physiological responses before, during and after exercise rather than focusing solely on blood oxygen saturation. This reflected a broader approach to understanding how oxygen-enriched water might influence the body's response to physical activity. (5)
The study reported several noteworthy observations, including:
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Lower post-exercise blood lactate concentrations.
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Differences in tissue oxygenation.
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Hydration-related physiological measurements.
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Faster blood pressure recovery following exercise.
Importantly, the researchers did not conclude that these findings proved improved athletic performance or demonstrated that oxygen-enriched water dramatically increased oxygen delivery throughout the body. Instead, they recommended that further investigation should follow using larger and more rigorous research designs.
That is exactly how science should progress.
Each study contributes another piece to the puzzle, allowing future research to build upon previous findings rather than attempting to provide every answer at once.
The University of Roehampton Study
Building on the earlier findings, researchers at the University of Roehampton investigated KURE using a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial—one of the strongest research designs available in nutritional science. (6)
Neither the participants nor the researchers knew which product had been consumed until testing was complete. This approach helps minimise bias and provides greater confidence that any differences observed are due to the intervention rather than expectation or chance.
Importantly, the researchers were not attempting to prove that oxygen-enriched water dramatically increased blood oxygen levels. Instead, they investigated whether KURE influenced broader physiological responses during steady-state exercise.
That reflects the direction of modern sports science.
Rather than judging performance through one isolated measurement, researchers increasingly evaluate how multiple physiological systems respond together during exercise.
What Did the Researchers Find?
One reason the Roehampton study deserves particular attention is because it presents a balanced picture.
Some physiological measurements changed.
Others did not.
Compared with the placebo, participants consuming KURE demonstrated:
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Lower blood lactate concentrations during exercise.
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Lower carbohydrate oxidation.
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Greater reliance on fat oxidation at specific stages of exercise.
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Lower respiratory exchange ratio (RER) during steady-state exercise. (6)
At the same time, researchers reported no significant differences in:
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Blood oxygen saturation.
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Oxygen uptake (VO₂).
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Heart rate. (6)
Those neutral findings are just as important as the positive ones.
They reinforce that KURE should not be viewed as a product that simply increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream. Instead, the evidence suggests it may influence aspects of exercise metabolism under the specific conditions investigated.
That is a far more precise—and scientifically credible—conclusion than claiming oxygen water simply delivers more oxygen to the body.
What Does This Tell Us?
Perhaps the biggest lesson from the research is that we may have spent years asking the wrong question.
For a long time, the debate centred almost entirely on whether oxygenated water increased blood oxygen saturation. Current evidence suggests it does not significantly increase blood oxygen levels in healthy individuals. (3,4,6)
However, modern researchers are no longer stopping there.
They are investigating whether oxygen-enriched water influences broader physiological responses associated with exercise, including metabolism, tissue oxygenation and blood lactate. That represents an important shift in scientific thinking, moving away from one isolated measurement towards a more complete understanding of how the body responds during physical activity.
Science advances by refining questions as new evidence becomes available.
The current research reflects exactly that process.
So, Can You Absorb Oxygen Through Water?
The most accurate answer is yes—but only to a very limited extent.
Current scientific evidence suggests that small amounts of dissolved oxygen may be absorbed through the digestive system. However, this contributes very little to the body's overall oxygen supply in healthy individuals, and existing research does not show that drinking oxygen-enriched water significantly increases blood oxygen saturation. (3,4)
The lungs remain the body's primary and overwhelmingly dominant route for oxygen uptake.
That understanding has not changed.
What has changed is the direction of scientific research. Rather than focusing solely on oxygen saturation, researchers are increasingly investigating whether certain oxygen-enriched water products influence physiological responses associated with exercise in ways that extend beyond simply increasing oxygen circulating in the bloodstream.
That is a much more accurate representation of where the science currently stands.
What Should Consumers Look For?
If you're considering oxygen-enriched water, it's worth asking the same questions you would ask about any evidence-based nutrition or performance product.
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Has the product been independently researched?
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Are the findings publicly available?
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Does the company acknowledge both the strengths and limitations of the evidence?
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Are the claims proportionate to what the research actually demonstrates?
These questions matter far more than marketing claims alone.
Products earn trust through evidence, transparency and a willingness to present research honestly—even when the findings are more nuanced than a simple headline.
That is the approach KURE has chosen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you absorb oxygen through water?
Small amounts of dissolved oxygen may be absorbed through the digestive system, but current evidence indicates this does not significantly increase blood oxygen saturation in healthy individuals. (3,4)
Does oxygen water increase blood oxygen levels?
Current research has not consistently demonstrated meaningful increases in arterial blood oxygen saturation after drinking oxygen-enriched water. (3,4,6)
Can oxygen water replace breathing?
No. The lungs remain the body's primary route for oxygen uptake, and oxygen-enriched water should never be viewed as a replacement for normal breathing. (3,4)
Why are scientists still researching oxygen water?
Modern research is no longer focused solely on blood oxygen levels. Researchers are investigating whether certain oxygen-enriched water products influence broader physiological responses associated with exercise, including blood lactate, exercise metabolism and tissue oxygenation. (5,6)
Why is KURE different?
KURE has invested in independent university research investigating its own formulation under controlled laboratory conditions rather than relying solely on broad claims about oxygenated water. (5,6)
Conclusion
The question isn't whether your body needs oxygen.
It's whether we've been asking the right question about oxygen water.
Current scientific evidence suggests that drinking oxygen-enriched water does not significantly increase blood oxygen saturation in healthy individuals. The lungs remain the body's primary route for oxygen uptake, and that understanding is well established. (3,4)
What continues to evolve is our understanding of how certain oxygen-enriched water products may influence the body's physiological response to exercise. Independent university research investigating KURE has reported measurable differences in blood lactate, exercise metabolism and tissue oxygenation under controlled laboratory conditions. (5,6)
Those findings do not prove that oxygen water replaces breathing, nor do they justify exaggerated marketing claims. They do, however, support continued scientific investigation and demonstrate why product-specific research is so important.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson is this:
Products should be judged on the quality of the evidence behind them—not on assumptions or outdated opinions.
That's why KURE chose to invest in independent university research.
Not to make louder claims.
To ask better questions.
Because the future of oxygen-enriched water will not be decided by marketing.
It will be decided by evidence.
References
(1) Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2016;48(3):543–568.
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2016/03000/nutrition_and_athletic_performance.25.aspx
(2) American College of Sports Medicine. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(2):377–390.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17277604/
(3) Leibetseder V, Strauss-Blasche G, Marktl W, Ekmekcioglu C. Effects of Oxygenated Water on Physical Performance, Lactate and Oxygen Saturation. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;27(3):232–235.
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2005-865633
(4) Wilber RL. Does Oxygenated Water Enhance Athletic Performance? British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2006;40(9):740–741.
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/40/9/740
(5) London South Bank University. Investigation into the Physiological Effects of Oxygen-Enriched Water During Exercise and Recovery. Independent university research conducted on KURE Oxygen Water. (Replace with the public KURE webpage or hosted PDF once available.)
(6) University of Roehampton. Acute Oxygenated Water Ingestion Altered Selected Metabolic Responses During Steady-State Exercise. Independent university research conducted on KURE Oxygen Water. (Update with the published report once publicly available.)
