What happens when you take oxygen away—and let the body adapt?
In this episode of Born SuperHuman, host Dan Metcalfe sits down with Brian Oestrike, CEO of Hypoxico and Mount Everest climber, to explore how altitude training reshapes the blood, brain, and body.
Brian breaks down hypoxic training in simple terms, shares lessons from Everest and rapid-ascent expeditions, and explains how simulated altitude has become a powerful tool for endurance, recovery, and overall health.
This is a fascinating conversation about stress, adaptation, and how smarter preparation—not shortcuts—creates safer, stronger humans.
Host Dan Metcalfe sits down with Brian Oestrike, CEO of Hypoxico Altitude Training Systems, elite mountaineer, and Everest climber, for a deep dive into the science, history, and real-world impact of altitude training on human performance and health.
Brian isn’t just a CEO—he’s lived at the extremes of human capability. Having climbed Mount Everest and many of the world’s highest peaks, Brian brings first-hand experience of hypoxia, acclimatization, and survival in low-oxygen environments. That lived reality led him to pioneer simulated altitude training through Hypoxico, the first company to patent and commercialize normobaric hypoxic technology.
In this powerful conversation, Dan and Brian explore how reduced oxygen environments trigger profound adaptations in the body—from increased red blood cell production and oxygen efficiency to cardiovascular, metabolic, and recovery benefits. Brian explains how “live high, train low” protocols work, why altitude training is no longer just for elite athletes or climbers, and how everyday individuals can safely harness hypoxia for better health and performance.
Brian also shares personal stories from Everest’s Northeast Ridge, the monotony and physical toll of traditional acclimatization, and how hypoxic tents transformed the way climbers prepare—allowing faster ascents, safer expeditions, and better outcomes without unnecessary suffering.
This episode challenges conventional thinking about oxygen, fitness, and preparation. It’s a masterclass in how stress—when applied intelligently—can unlock resilience, adaptation, and untapped human potential.
Learn more at: https://www.hypoxico.com
Hypoxico is the world leader in simulated altitude training technology, pioneering normobaric hypoxic systems that allow athletes, climbers, and health-focused individuals to safely adapt to reduced oxygen environments—without changing air pressure. This also serves athletes that want to perform best as sea-level, and many people who want the undeniable benefits of living at altitude without have to live in the mountains.
Hypoxico systems are used globally to support endurance, red blood cell production, cardiovascular efficiency, and pre-acclimatization for high-altitude expeditions.
Brian Oestrike was not paid to appear on this episode. Any discussion of Hypoxico products or altitude training technologies reflects Brian Oestrike’s professional expertise and personal experience. All opinions, statements, and perspectives expressed belong solely to Brian Oestrike and do not represent medical advice. Born SuperHuman and host Dan Metcalfe do not provide medical recommendations. Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals before engaging in altitude or hypoxic training.
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