Cardiologists can't believe this oxygen trick... 🫁

Your heart grows new highways? ❤️ 🛣️

Author

Federick Gonzalez
December 24, 2025

Hey man...

Remember when that shepherd boy… David faced Goliath?

One stone. One sling. One shot.

A young David flexing… on IH giants…

That's what Intermittent Hypoxia (IH) does to heart disease...

It's the smooth stone that takes down the giant. 🪨

Here's what's got cardiologists losing their minds...

...in a good way

hypoxia promotes new microvessels. [1]

Not improves existing ones.

Not cleans them out.

GROWS. NEW. ONES. 🌱

Meaning...

IH literally helps your body grow new blood vessels...

a process called angiogenesis...

Improves microcirculation. Blood flow. In stressed tissues.

Like David's son Solomon building new roads throughout Israel...

Your heart builds backup highways for blood flow. [9]

Even if your main arteries are clogged like rush-hour traffic. 🚗

The “Collateral Circulation” Miracle

Meet Frank, 58, from Detroit...

His LAD artery? 70% blocked.

(That's the "widowmaker" for you non-medical folks)

His cardiologist wanted to crack open his chest.

But Frank tried something else first...

8 weeks of IH training.

The result?

His heart grew so many new vessels.

No surgery. No stents. Just breathing exercises.

His doc's jaw hit the floor. 😲

In fact... in one study...

8 weeks of IH training ... helps your heart grow backup vessels...

+ 20% better stress test performance.

Plus... coronary artery disease (CAD) patients...

saw improved lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures...

and exercise capacity jumps of ~20%...

with less angina to stop them. [1][2]

Angina is...

chest pain or discomfort from your heart muscle...

not getting enough oxygen-rich blood...

Almost always... because of choked coronary arteries.

Yeah... too many late-night burger drive-thrus + sitting on your ass.

Why Your Heart is Suffocating (Even If You Feel Fine)

Here's the scary truth...

From age 30 and up...

you lose about 1% of your heart's oxygen-carrying capacity...

known as V⁢O₂⁢max... per year. [3][10]

By 60?

Your heart's running on fumes.

It's like trying to power a V8 engine...

...with a lawn mower's fuel line. ⛽

But here's where IH works its magic...

Studies show IH:

✅ Controlled hypoxia + exercise training grows backup collateral vessels...

in narrowed coronary arteries...

proven in CAD patients [1][8]

✅ 72% improvement in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) after 4 weeks IH training [4]

✅ 12-point drop in blood pressure [5]

✅ 6.2% increase in peak VO₂ after 3 weeks of IH [6]

All from teaching your body to thrive on less oxygen.

The 15-Minute Heart Rebuilder Protocol ❤️‍🩹

Ready to bulletproof your ticker?

Here's the exact protocol:

Week 1-2: Foundation Phase

  • Breathe normally for 1 minute

  • Hold breath for 15-30 seconds

  • Breathe normally for 1 minute

  • Repeat 5 times

Week 3-4: Growth Phase

  • Same pattern but...

  • Extend breath holds to 30-45 seconds

  • Add light walking during normal breathing

Week 5-6: Power Phase

  • Breath holds up to 60 seconds

  • Add resistance (stairs, hills)

  • Track heart rate stays under 140 bpm

Do this 3x daily. Your heart will thank you.

RANGES & TESTS:

Track your heart gains with these markers:

Cardiovascular Health Tests:

Resting Heart Rate: [12]

  • Men Age: 40-50 Avg. 75 bpm, upper limit ≤100 bpm

  • Men Age: 50-60 Avg. 74 bpm, upper limit ≤100 bpm

  • Men Age: 60+ Avg. 73 bpm, upper limit ≤95 bpm

Heart Rate Variability (HRV): [11]

  • Good range: 20-30 ms for men over 40

  • Higher is better

Blood Pressure: [13]

  • Systolic (top number, mm Hg) | and/or | Diastolic (bottom number, mm Hg)

  • Normal (Good) Less than 120 | and | Less than 80

  • Elevated (Caution) 120–129 | and | Less than 80

  • Stage 1 Hypertension (Bad) 130–139 |or | 80–89

  • Stage 2 Hypertension (Worse) 140 or higher | or | 90 or higher

  • Hypertensive Crisis (Critical Emergency) Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120

VO₂Max (cardio fitness): Good for men [7]

  • Age 40-49: 39-43 ml/kg/min

  • Age 50-59: 36-40 ml/kg/min

  • Age 60+: 32-35 ml/kg/min

The Shocking Truth About Heart Attacks 💔

Here's what blew my mind...

People with good collateral circulation have 36% lower death rates after heart attacks. [14]

Think about that...

Even IF you have a heart attack...

Your backup highways keep blood flowing.

It's like having a spare tire that inflates automatically. 🛞

IH builds these lifesaving detours before you need them.

The Bottom Line

Your heart isn't just a pump...

It's an adaptive miracle machine.

The REAL hardest working Man in Show business…IT NEVER STOPS!

Give it the right stress (IH)...

And it builds its own bypass system.

No surgeon required. 🏥 

But… see your doc anyway. 

It might just save your ass.

Tomorrow, we dive into the cellular power plants...

How IH supercharges your mitochondria for all-day energy.

(Hint: It's like upgrading from regular car gasoline to… Elon’s SpaceX rocket fuel 🚀)

To your mighty heart,

Mens Health Secrets 
–Live Past 100

P.S. Tomorrow I reveal how IH cranks up red blood cell production... by turning your blood into oxygen-delivering super cells. Your energy will explode! ⚡

P.P.S. Always consult your physician before starting new health protocols... especially with heart conditions.

P.P.P.S. >>> Subscribe to our Mens Health Secrets YouTube Channel... leave a comment... and level up your health knowledge.

Medical References:

[1] Guan Y, Liu J, Gu Y, Ji X. Effects of Hypoxia on Cerebral Microvascular Angiogenesis: Benefits or Damages? Aging Dis. 2023;14(2):370-385. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2022.0902

[2] Glazachev O, Kopylov P, Susta D, Dudnik E, Zagaynaya E. Adaptations following an intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia training in coronary artery disease patients: a controlled study. Clin Cardiol. 2017 Jun;40(6):370-376. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.22670. Epub 2017 Mar 21. PMID: 28323322; PMCID: PMC6490434.

[3] Warner, L. (2024, July 8). VO2 max: What is it—and how can you improve it? Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/vo2-max-what-is-it-and-how-can-you-improve-it

[4] Lizamore CA, Kathiravel Y, Elliott J, Hellemans J, Hamlin MJ. The effect of short-term intermittent hypoxic exposure on heart rate variability in a sedentary population. Physiol Int. 2016 Mar;103(1):75-85. https://doi.org/10.1556/036.103.2016.1.7. PMID: 27030629.

[5] Panza GS, Puri S, Lin HS, et al. Daily Exposure to Mild Intermittent Hypoxia Reduces Blood Pressure. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2022;205(8):949-958. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202108-1808OC

[6] Burtscher M, Pachinger O, Ehrenbourg I, et al. Intermittent hypoxia increases exercise tolerance. Int J Cardiol. 2004;96(2):247-254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2003.07.021

[7] Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J. Reference Standards for Cardiorespiratory Fitness. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(11):1515-1523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.07.026

[8] Ambrogetti R. The Effects of Exercise on Coronary Collateral Circulation: A Review. Cureus. 2022 Dec 20;14(12):e32732. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32732. PMID: 36570117; PMCID: PMC9771523.

[9] Aghajanian A, Zhang H, Buckley BK, Wittchen ES, Ma WY, Faber JE. Decreased inspired oxygen stimulates de novo formation of coronary collaterals in adult heart. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2021 Jan;150:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjmcc.2020.09.015. Epub 2020 Oct 8. PMID: 33038388; PMCID: PMC7855913.

[10] Van Hooren B, Lepers R. A physiological comparison of the new-over 70 years of age-marathon record holder and his predecessor: A case report. Front Physiol. 2023 Feb 13;14:1122315. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1122315. PMID: 36860525; PMCID: PMC9969103.

[11] Tegegne BS, Man T, van Roon AM, Snieder H, Riese H. Reference values of heart rate variability from 10-second resting electrocardiograms: the Lifelines Cohort Study. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020 Dec;27(19):2191-2194. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487319872567. Epub 2019 Sep 9. PMID: 31500461; PMCID: PMC7734556.

[12] Avram R, Tison GH, Aschbacher K, Kuhar P, Vittinghoff E, Butzner M, Runge R, Wu N, Pletcher MJ, Marcus GM, Olgin J. Real-world heart rate norms in the Health eHeart study. NPJ Digit Med. 2019 Jun 25;2:58. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-019-0134-9. PMID: 31304404; PMCID: PMC6592896.

[13] Hardy ST, Sakhuja S, Jaeger BC, Oparil S, Akinyelure OP, Spruill TM, Kalinowski J, Butler M, Anstey DE, Elfassy T, Tajeu GS, Allen NB, Reges O, Sims M, Shimbo D, Muntner P. Maintaining Normal Blood Pressure Across the Life Course: The JHS. Hypertension. 2021 May 5;77(5):1490-1499. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16278. Epub 2021 Mar 22. PMID: 33745299; PMCID: PMC8564773.

[14] Meier P, Hemingway H, Lansky AJ, Knapp G, Pitt B, Seiler C. The impact of the coronary collateral circulation on mortality: a meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2012 Mar;33(5):614-21. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehr308. Epub 2011 Oct 3. PMID: 21969521.