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Yoho comment: This is from the Curious Outlier’s Substack, which focuses mainly on his website, TheUniversalAntidote.com, and its information about chlorine dioxide.
RIC is supported by forty-six references cited in the original posts HERE and HERE. I keep a careful eye on Curious by subscribing to him, and you should too. When I saw this, I immediately broke out a blood pressure cuff and started experimenting.
Remote ischemic conditioning delivers extraordinary benefits through controlled blood flow restriction. This technique boosts endurance, sharpens mental clarity, protects the heart, and accelerates recovery from stress without requiring exercise. A routine lasting minutes per day, using only a blood pressure cuff, triggers powerful biochemical adaptations that enhance wellness and performance.
Discovery and Mechanism
Remote ischemic conditioning emerged from research into oxidative therapies. The technique involves intermittent blood flow restriction to a limb using a blood pressure cuff. This brief, controlled stress awakens the body’s natural adaptive defenses through a cascade of beneficial biochemical and genetic responses. Originally developed to protect the heart and brain during surgery, RIC now shows promise far beyond medical emergencies.
The process mimics interval training without physical strain. Blood flow restriction forces muscles to operate in low-oxygen environments, prompting adaptations that improve oxygen extraction and utilization. These benefits extend throughout the body via protective signals traveling through the bloodstream to distant organs.
Performance Enhancement
RIC delivers measurable improvements in athletic performance across all fitness levels. The technique increases VOâ‚‚ max, improves muscular power, and delays fatigue during high-intensity efforts. Multiple controlled trials demonstrate enhanced aerobic and anaerobic performance through regular RIC use.
Recovery benefits as well. RIC activates protective biological cascades that reduce inflammation markers like creatine kinase and interleukin-6, hastening muscle repair. This allows more frequent high-quality training sessions without risking overtraining or injury. Enhanced microvascular function increases capillary density and responsiveness, improving muscle oxygenation during exercise while reducing blood lactate accumulation.
Vascular Health and Cardiovascular Protection
The vascular system delivers oxygen and nutrients to every tissue. RIC maintains and restores healthy blood vessel function by triggering natural repair processes. Rather than treating problems after they occur, RIC provides preventive protection for long-term cardiovascular health.
RIC enhances endothelial function through consistent use. The endothelium lines vessel walls and controls expansion, contraction, and responses to blood flow changes. Regular RIC makes this inner lining more responsive and effective, improving blood flow regulation while reducing blood clot risk and preventing high blood pressure development. These protective effects occur in both diseased and healthy individuals.
Cardioprotective adaptation develops through consistent RIC use. The technique conditions the heart and blood vessels to withstand stress and injury, acting as soft armor against age-related issues like stiffening arteries and metabolic syndrome. RIC lowers inflammation markers, improves vessel flexibility, and protects heart muscle cells from damage. These benefits mirror cardiovascular exercise effects while requiring no physical exertion.
Whole-Body Defense and Multi-Organ Protection
RIC strengthens the body’s defenses in healthy individuals through systemic preconditioning. Brief blood flow restriction signals the body to prepare for future stress challenges. This practice run enhances the vital organ’s ability to handle situations with low oxygen or reduced blood supply. The technique switches on natural cellular protection systems, improves blood flow, and boosts antioxidant levels that reduce stress and aging damage.
Chemical messengers released during RIC travel to distant organs, including the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys. This process preconditions organs by providing rehearsals for severe stressors like surgery, dehydration, or injury. The body becomes more efficient at protecting cells, repairing damage, and maintaining function when confronting actual threats.
Antioxidant defense receives rapid enhancement through RIC. The technique stimulates production of natural antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. These enzymes neutralize free radicals before they damage cellular components. Single RIC sessions significantly increase antioxidant activity in vital organs within minutes. Regular practice creates consistent biochemical shields against daily hazards ranging from pollution to physical exertion.
Stress tolerance improves through adaptive training effects. RIC teaches body systems to cope better with stress through intermittent blood flow challenges. These training sessions improve cardiovascular and metabolic responses to low oxygen, high-energy demands, and inflammation. The result builds increased capacity to function effectively in normally straining situations while extending benefits to microcirculation for improved nutrient delivery.
Accessibility for Inactive or Chronically Ill Populations
RIC offers exceptional accessibility through its simplicity. Sessions require only a blood pressure cuff and can be performed while sitting, reclining, or working. This makes RIC ideal for elderly individuals, injury recovery patients, or those with chronic conditions limiting exercise capacity.
The technique provides stepping stones for people struggling with traditional fitness routines. Rehabilitation patients maintain or improve vascular and muscular responsiveness before resuming full activity. RIC stimulates protective systems and improves circulation, easing transitions back to active lifestyles. This creates valuable on-ramps for regaining fitness safely after illness or extended inactivity.
Scientific Mechanisms
RIC triggers survival signaling that promotes cell repair and protects against stress-induced death. These networks maintain cell function and resilience when oxygen and nutrient supplies face threats.
Blood vessels throughout the body release nitric oxide during RIC sessions. This powerful molecule widens arteries and improves circulation while reducing oxidative stress. The nitric oxide boost explains RIC’s ability to improve blood pressure and vessel health, mimicking aerobic exercise benefits.
Biochemical messages stimulate antioxidant enzyme production, including superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. These enzymes neutralize harmful free radicals that damage DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. Enhanced antioxidant defenses provide better protection against daily wear and exercise stress.
Mitochondrial enhancement occurs with RIC. They work more efficiently, reducing cell death and improving energy production during stress periods. This allows organs like the heart and brain to function better and recover more rapidly after strain.
Evidence-Based Protocol
The standardized RIC protocol requires five cycles of five-minute blood flow restriction followed by five-minute recovery periods. Place a blood pressure cuff around the upper arm and inflate to 200 mmHg or 50 mmHg above systolic pressure. After five minutes, deflate completely for five minutes. Repeat this process daily for five total sets.
Sessions can be performed on either arm, alternating daily. Arms offer greater comfort than legs while providing similar outcomes in clinical studies. The protocol can be performed while working at a desk or during other sedentary activities.
Safety considerations include avoiding RIC with peripheral vascular disease, blood clot history, deep vein thrombosis, severe hypertension, or poor limb sensation. Alternate arms daily and monitor for severe pain, dizziness, or excessive skin petechiae. Children, frail elderly, or those with bleeding disorders require medical supervision for home use.
Practical Implementation
Manual or automatic blood pressure cuffs work equally well for RIC protocols. Check pressure gauges frequently, as manual cuffs may lose pressure during inflation periods. Maintain consistent session timing and stay well hydrated before and after protocols.
The technique functions as an exercise in a device, activating natural responses like increased nitric oxide production. RIC improves artery flexibility, reduces low-level inflammation, and provides cardiovascular protection for people unable to exercise regularly while offering extra protection for athletes and healthy individuals.
Conclusion
Remote ischemic conditioning is a practical, research-backed method for health enhancement. The technique harnesses natural adaptive abilities to provide wide-ranging benefits supporting everyday wellness for athletes and non-athletes alike. RIC offers lasting wellness, greater resilience, and faster healing through a potent yet safe method requiring no physical exertion.
This simple technique, once confined to research laboratories and hospitals, remains unknown among healthcare professionals. The method provides transformative, evidence-based health enhancement accessible to anyone interested in improved resilience and recovery. RIC highlights a grounded, scientifically credible approach to training smarter rather than harder.
Yoho comment
This works; the support for it is robust. Curious told me he is going to do it for the rest of his life, and since I just sit around and write, it is easy for me. I’m not going to give up my ridiculous adventures in the gym, however.
Well, hmmm, that’s pretty interesting all right. I’m wondering though about the effect on the arteries from being crushed shut (200 mmHg) five time a day for five minutes each. Risk of damage?
In the last 35 years of research, this has not been shown to be a problem in human or animal studies.
Thank you.
Glad to help.
I would be more worried about the lymphatic system.
5 minutes on, 5 minutes off, for 5 reps adds up to 50 minutes per day.
How many days a week? Three days a week, or every other day, or seven days a week? Thanks!
Typically every day. I don’t think it would be a problem though to treat it just like you would exercise. Five days per week with an interval of an off day here there.
Hmmm so sitting on the crapper too long… tingling in the legs is OK and Healthy?
Loosing circulation in the arm from improper sleep position ok also?
Sitting too long in one position…loosing circulation in the legs is ok?
Not being smarmy…
but those situations, when they occur do not ‘feel’ correct,
let alone inducing this process…
it seems unnatural at best…
Circuit training or weight training overall seems beneficial for a LOT of reasons…
this almost sounds too much like a ‘short cut’ since it seems not naturally occurring
perhaps more study OR suggest this be done with some sort of professional oversight,
would NOT like to hear of my parent initiating such an activity alone without supervision…
if that is the case, if there are those blood pressure machines that cut off your circulation still sitting in the pharmacies …would rather have my parents or myself go there!!
Not quite ready for primetime IMHO…
I don’t think any of the clinical studies were done while people were sitting on the crapper. uD83DuDE02
I would not consider intermittent positional numbness a sufficient replacement for a RIC regimen.
The lymphatic system is often overlooked. It cannot take crushing.
Trust The Science ha
Check out kaatsu.com. Invented by a Japanese athlete in the 80’s it has similar effects. It has 2 arm bands and 2 leg bands and has a good deal of research to back its claims similar to the bp cuff.
This is a different method. This is not remote ischemic conditioning. This is called blood flow with exercise. It is not the same.
Do you mean different from Kaatsu? You can use Kaatsu with exercise and for instance, use lower weights.
Or no weights – it cycles on and off automatically, but it’s way more expensive
That’s correct. Kaatsu is different than remote ischemic conditioning (RIC). Remote ischemic conditioning does not require exercise and it requires a complete occlusion of the blood flow to the area.
Thanks for clarifying. 5 minutes seem like a long time for complete occlusion. Kaatsu doesn’t necessarily require exercise either. It is sort of RIC lite?
Five minutes is not bad. I thought it would be too, but I’ve been doing it for about 35 days and it’s not hard at all.
My fingers always go numb when my blood pressure is taken. Is there a way to avoid this – for the 5 min sessions (25 mins total)?
My fingers become Numb and tingly when the cuff is inflated, but that goes away during deflation. Is that the case with you? The numbness is temporary and I think overtime my tingling and numbness has become much more tolerable. I’ve been at this for just over 30 days now.
Yes, my numbness goes away after deflation. Thanks for the info.
That is good. That is normal.
Also, how long (with consistent use) until you notice any changes?
I started noticing changes in my swim times after about 30 days. Significant improvement and I have not had significant improvement in my swim times in a couple of years. I don’t have any health problems so I can’t see for sure regarding other things, but in the literature, the benefits, even though subtle started occurring within one week. Decreased blood pressure, improved cognition, and other vascular signs.
Can RIC only be used on the arms? Some weight lifters do use complete occlusion. I
Arms or legs show same benefits.
Just imagine what that does to your delicate lymphatic system.
25 years of research shows that it’s a positive response on human health. I’ve been doing it for 30 days and the only side effect has been dropping 60 seconds off of my 1 mile swim time. First time I’ve seen a significant improvement in over two years.
I use kaatsu bands most days. I usually just use the leg bands, but I should probably use the arm bands too (more often)
I thought Kaatsu recommends always starting with the arms and then legs for workouts. That’s the way I’ve done it for a couple of years now. Sorry for the Kaatsu comment, I know it’s not the same as RIC.
Found this wonderful overview of Dr. Yoho’s work about 3 days ago.
My many years of ignorance on these vital subjects have needed this IV STAT exercise in repair, revision and reconstruction of my thinking.
Blessings to all.
https://dryoho.com/258-everything-you-believe-is-wrong-this-is-also-the-title-of-an-excellent-book-by-william-briggs/
258. EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE IS WRONG (This is also the title of an excellent book by William Briggs)
By Robert Yoho MD (ret)
August 14, 2023
39 Comments
Excerpt: the part about “vaccines”
“Covid is a weak bioweapon manufactured by psychopaths. Its origins were proven by viral genetic sequencing and documentary evidence. The virus would have been inconsequential had the therapies not been suppressed. Insurance company data confirm that no effect on global mortality happened until the u201Cvaccineu201D rollout.
The Covid u201Cvaccineu201D is a mortally damaging bioweapon. You must repeat the academic year if you do not see this by now. Since its deployment in early 2021, worldwide mortality has increased and live births have each decreased by about 20 percent. Statistics like this have not been seen in a hundred years. But humans are resilientu2014despite all the other attacks on us, our overall death rate never increased until the u201Cclot shotu201D was deployed.
Every other vaccine, including the ones for childhood, is a significant harm (see HERE and HERE). Over the last thirty years, these caused the US autism rate to increase from 1/10,000 to 1/30. Like the psych drugs, no vaccine has been studied against proper placebos. Public health measures such as sanitation produced the following drops in death rates, not vaccines. SNIP”
LOL!
Good to know, want all my answers when I bring this up for others!
Thanks
Do the RIC sessions have to be done for 50 straight minutes (5m on 5m off)? Or can it be spread over the day? Thanks.
I do kaatsu and very much u00E0 beginner. My feeling on this one is doesnu2019t feel right to have that much pressure on the arms for that long. Kaatsu has pressure on pressure off for 30 seconds I believe. Aside from any studies or research it comes back to who you believe and trust and follow oneu2019s gut and intuition. This feels very not right to me. Too extreme. Kaatsu has a lot of information on the computer. Hate to see people hurting themselves in hopes of being healthier. Robert I donu2019t agree with you on this one
I tend to agree with you here. At my GP, a blood pressure test used to make me feel unwell after only a few seconds!
Insist on the old fashioned way – not the machine. It hurts!
If done every day, how soon should I expect to see lowering of blood pressure?
Was any research done on less reps? If I incorporate everything I read into my daily life I will have no time for a life… :/) lol …. sun, grounding, walking, balance exercise, cardio, resistance, dental care, lymph massage…. no end in sight.
The purpose of living is only to live! 🙂
If you do RIC you could drop half of the things you do or do half every other day. Alternate each half. (wink)
Yes, I wasn’t able to get all my things done today because I added RIC today and administered it to my husband while he drank coffee and scrolled the internet. ;/
Hmm – What is ‘systolic pressure’? Why 50 OR even 200 above this? What does this big difference mean?
Systolic is the top number of a blood pressure reading.
Systolic / Diastolic.
Sorry, don’t understand the rest of your question.
If that is the top number, and the meter won’t show higher, how do you get 50 or 200 ABOVE?
I don’t understand why our choice is either 50 or 200 (above) and nothing in between.
What “meter”? This is the recommended BP unit to use for RIC, available on Amazon:
Dixie EMS Deluxe Aneroid Sphygmomanometer Blood Pressure Set W/Adult Cuff, Carrying Case and Calibration Tool – Black
HTH
50 above or 200 absolute
50 is the top BP number
The automatic BP cuff I have quickly deflates after determining the BP. How does one use a. Automatic to do RIC?
I had the same question. This is what it is, around $16 on Amazon:
Dixie EMS Deluxe Aneroid Sphygmomanometer Blood Pressure Set W/Adult Cuff, Carrying Case and Calibration Tool – Black
Use a chip bag clamp?uD83EuDD37uD83CuDFFBu200Du2640uFE0F
Do you think this is the similar kind of physiological response that one gets from doing cold baths, or when one does breath holding in Wim Hof breathing? Putting the body under a brief stress which stimulates it to respond/rebound in a way that strengthens its systems.
And of course I have to liken it to a medicine pushing the vital force in one direction and when it wears off the vital force rebounds in the opposite direction. In the case of a “homeopathic” prescription where the medicine causes similar effects to the entire disease on all levels, mental, emotional and physical, the rebound is towards cure.
Is there any recommendation to slowly work up to this? Number and length sessions? Seems like just jumping into that much might not be good for weaker constitutions.
I believe Dr Joseph Mercola is a proponent of this also.
The idea of complete occlusion freaks me out for some reason :). I suspect Kaatsu, even without exercise would give similiar, if less intense benefits.
limbs survive 10 hours of occlusion
That’s crazy! Thank you. i didn’t know that.
Omgosh! This all has my 77 yo brain going a bit off the rails!!
Lots of serious brain work fully acknowledged; howeveru2026.u203CuFE0FuD83EuDD2D
Again my age speaking , how about a walk in the woods with a friend?!!!u2764uFE0FuD83DuDE4F
My kind of friend. 😉
& super far off topicu2026.
If yu2019all have constipation u201Cissues,u201D how about reading up on Baobab via Scott Marslandu2019s Substack article titled u201CLightening Bug?!u201D Seems a lot more of a practical living hack to actually try that vs cutting off circulation to gain a performance edge. u2026 Just sayinu2019
I do not mean any offense to anyone u203CuFE0Fu2764uFE0FuD83DuDE4F
Hi Dr. Yoho, just to clarify – the protocol is to do five sets per day: (5 min RIC, 5 min rest) X 5. So it would take a person 25 minutes. Do this every day, 7 days per week, or 5 days per week? Thanks.
with the rests 50 min
Not just seniors, every age.
The FDA warns seniors to avoid this vaccine after deadly complications.
https://www.foxnews.com/health/fda-warns-seniors-avoid-vaccine-after-deadly-complications
Adults over the age of 60 are recommended not to get the chikungunya vaccine to prevent the mosquito-borne illness due to two related deaths, according to the FDA and CDC.
It is difficult for me to believe that the delicate and vital lymphatic system is not being damaged with this procedure.
Tried this today (59 female, healthy) went up to 200, couldnu2019t do it, 140 is my number. Husband 69 & healthy did it 5 times with no issues @ 200.
If your systolic bp is 120, your choice is 170 OR 200, according to this summary. If it’s 100, you select 150 or 200. Something obvious is missing in these instructions, such as “whichever is lower”? (If your systole is above 150 you stay at 200, but if below 150 you just add 50…); or “whichever is higher”? (If systole is lower than 150, select 200 consistently). Please clarify.
I want to try this and looked at automatic monitors like VitalTrack (around $100). But I think the automatic monitors automatically deflate–yes? The article says either manual or automatic can be used, but could we get a little instruction on how to keep the cuff inflated for 5 minutes?
This is the recommended BP unit to use for RIC, around $16 available on Amazon:
Dixie EMS Deluxe Aneroid Sphygmomanometer Blood Pressure Set W/Adult Cuff, Carrying Case and Calibration Tool – Black
To do RIC with an automatic BP monitor you need to install a check valve (aka non return valve) in the tube between pump and cuff, and a release tap upstream (on the cuff side) of it. The tubing is normally 4 mm I.D. and will take a standard aquarium air pump check valve. On/off taps, tee joints and tubing, all 4mm ID, can be found in the garden irrigation section of hardware stores. They donu2019t carry check valves.
The check valve prevents loss of pressure. The tap enables the release of pressure at the end of each cycle. Works well. Iu2019ll post a photo when I have time.
What would be different between this and just practicing getting really good at holding your breath?
Would it be a bad idea to take some flush niacin while doing the set?
It seems to me, from reading your posts on RIC, that it might have potential for hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) management. My daughter is progressively becoming incapacitated by it, and while she has been recommended a course of Pilates therapy, sheu2019s in so much pain from ordinary household chores, that I wonder if sheu2019ll be able to handle it. Iu2019m not looking for medical advice, only a reality check.