If you’ve been dealing with persistent symptoms—like low energy, brain fog, slow recovery, or signs of ongoing inflammation—you’re not alone. At Dr. Linette Williamson’s integrative medicine practice, the goal is to help you make sense of what your body is communicating and build a plan that supports long-term resilience. Dr. Linette Williamson, MD uses an integrative + functional medicine approach that’s root-cause focused, personalized, and evidence-informed, combining thoughtful diagnostics with therapies designed to support whole-body balance.
One option some patients explore within this broader plan is functional medicine ozone therapy. Ozone therapy isn’t positioned as a cure-all, and it’s not a replacement for conventional medical care when that’s needed. Instead, in a carefully selected and medically supervised setting, it may be used as one component of an individualized strategy to support wellness goals such as immune resilience, recovery capacity, and healthier inflammatory balance.
What Is Ozone Therapy?
Ozone basics
Ozone is a molecule made of three oxygen atoms (O₃). It’s important to distinguish between:
- Environmental ozone (air pollution/irritant that can harm lungs when inhaled)
- Medical ozone, which is generated in controlled settings for specific medical applications and delivered using defined protocols
Ozone is not the same thing as oxygen therapy, and it’s not simply “more oxygen.” It’s a distinct molecule with different biological signaling effects.
A helpful way to understand ozone therapy is through the idea of hormesis: a small, controlled stress signal that can stimulate the body’s adaptive responses—similar to how exercise is a controlled stressor that (when appropriately dosed) can help the body become more resilient. In the scientific literature on medical ozone, this concept is often described as a controlled oxidative signal that may trigger adaptive pathways.
Common goals patients seek
People who explore functional medicine ozone therapy are often looking for support in areas like:
- Immune support and resilience (supporting balanced immune signaling)
- Circulation and oxygen utilization support (microcirculation and delivery concepts)
- Recovery support (fatigue patterns, performance goals, wellness optimization)
- Support for inflammatory balance and vitality (without overpromising outcomes)
How Ozone Therapy Works
Immune modulation and signaling
Ozone-related signaling may influence immune communication and cytokine patterns in certain contexts, which is one reason people explore it for resilience support.
Antioxidant response activation
A central theme in ozone therapy literature is that controlled ozone exposure may stimulate the body’s own antioxidant defenses—often discussed in connection with pathways such as Nrf2 (a transcription factor involved in cellular antioxidant responses).
Microcirculation support and oxygen delivery/utilization concepts
Some reviews describe changes related to local perfusion and oxygen utilization concepts as part of the proposed rationale (how oxygen gets delivered and used at the tissue level).
Effects on inflammation signaling and redox balance
Research discussions commonly focus on shifts in oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory signaling—again emphasizing the importance of dose and delivery method.
Why functional medicine pairs well with ozone therapy
Functional medicine ozone therapy tends to make the most sense when it’s used as one tool inside a comprehensive plan, not as a single intervention expected to do everything.
In Dr. Williamson’s functional approach, ozone therapy may be considered alongside supportive foundations such as:
- Nutrition strategies for inflammatory balance and blood sugar stability
- Sleep and stress physiology support (often essential for immune and hormone regulation)
- Gut and microbiome support (digestion, absorption, immune signaling)
- Hormone optimization when clinically appropriate
- Detoxification support strategies tailored to your capacity and symptoms
Just as importantly, Dr. Williamson emphasizes tracking outcomes with:
- Symptom trends (energy, sleep quality, recovery, mental clarity, pain patterns)
- Relevant biomarkers when appropriate (inflammation markers, metabolic indicators, nutrient status, etc.)
Types of Ozone Therapy Offered in an Integrative/Functional Setting
EBOO (Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation)
EBOO is an advanced ozone therapy approach that involves circulating blood through a specialized external system in a controlled, clinical environment. During the process, blood is oxygenated and exposed to carefully calibrated ozone before being returned—while the patient is monitored for comfort and safety. The overall goal is to support whole-body wellness through a structured, physician-guided protocol.
Why patients inquire about EBOO :
- Persistent fatigue or low stamina patterns
- Wellness optimization goals (resilience, recovery, vitality support)
- A sense of “inflammatory burden” or feeling run down—even with “normal” basic labs
- Desire for a more comprehensive, functional-medicine-guided strategy rather than a one-size-fits-all approach
Major Autohemotherapy (MAH)
Major autohemotherapy generally involves drawing a specific amount of blood, mixing it with medical ozone in a controlled, closed system, and then reinfusing it. This is performed under medical supervision with attention to dosing, sterility, and patient response.
When it’s commonly considered:
- Patients seeking immune resilience and recovery support as part of a comprehensive plan
- Individuals working on systemic wellness goals where functional medicine is also addressing sleep, stress physiology, gut health, and metabolic balance
- Patients who want a physician-guided option that can be adjusted over time based on how they feel and how their biomarkers trend
Prolozone
Prolozone is a localized injection approach that uses ozone as part of a joint or soft-tissue support strategy. It’s commonly discussed in integrative orthopedics for patients who want support for mobility, stiffness, or chronic discomfort.
Common reasons people explore prolozone:
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Mobility support for active lifestyles
- Chronic joint inflammation patterns
- Wear-and-tear discomfort where patients are seeking non-surgical options
Recovery expectations and sessions
Response varies widely. Some people feel changes quickly, while others notice gradual improvement over a series. Dr. Williamson typically approaches this with:
- Clear goals (pain, function, range of motion, activity tolerance)
- A plan for session pacing
- Reassessment checkpoints to decide whether to continue, modify, or pivot
Supportive/Adjunct Therapies Often Paired with Ozone
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
HBOT and ozone are not interchangeable. They’re different tools with different mechanisms. In some cases, they may be used in a coordinated plan to support recovery, oxygen utilization, and resilience—always based on your clinical picture.
Advanced light therapies (TheraLumen / HemaLumen)
Light-based therapies may be incorporated as part of a broader wellness strategy to support circulation, cellular signaling, and recovery—again individualized to the patient.
Nutritional and mitochondrial support (e.g., methylene blue when appropriate)
Some patients benefit from targeted support for energy production and metabolic resilience. If used, Dr. Williamson will guide timing, dosing strategy, and safety screening—especially important when combining therapies that influence oxidative balance.
Who May Be a Good Candidate (and Who May Not)
Common reasons people explore functional medicine ozone therapy
People often seek care with Dr. Williamson when they’re looking for a deeper, root-cause approach to concerns such as:
- Chronic fatigue / low energy patterns
- Immune resilience goals (supporting balance and recovery)
- Inflammation or “brain fog” patterns
- Recovery and performance support (feeling more durable and steady)
- Joint pain support (especially when prolozone is part of the plan)
Safety screening and medical decision-making
Before any ozone-based plan, Dr. Williamson emphasizes medical screening, including:
- Thorough medical history review
- Medication and supplement review (including blood thinners, thyroid meds, and immune-modulating therapies)
- Assessment of sensitivities, prior reactions, hydration status, and recovery capacity
- Risk stratification and route selection based on what’s safest and most appropriate for you
Contraindications and precautions
Ozone therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Examples of situations that may require avoiding ozone therapy or proceeding with extra caution include:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Certain bleeding disorders or use of anticoagulants
- Uncontrolled hyperthyroid states
- Severe anemia or other conditions affecting oxygen delivery
- G6PD deficiency screening considerations
- Active, severe illness or symptoms that may require urgent or emergency care
Whole-Person Support for Better Resilience
At Dr. Linette Williamson, MD’s integrative and functional medicine practice, functional medicine ozone therapy is guided by a clear philosophy: personalize, measure, and adjust. Your care plan is built around your health history, current physiology, and goals, with an emphasis on thoughtful medical decision-making and ongoing evaluation.
Ozone therapy can be considered as part of a broader strategy that supports the foundations of resilience, including nutrition, sleep, stress physiology, gut health, hormone balance when appropriate, and targeted nutrient support. Dr. Williamson’s approach focuses on creating a plan that is practical, responsive, and aligned with your body’s needs over time.
Whether your plan includes EBOO, major autohemotherapy (MAH), prolozone for joint support, or other integrative therapies, the priority remains the same: careful screening, appropriate delivery methods, and attentive monitoring. If you’re exploring ozone therapy, the next step is a consultation to determine whether it fits your health picture and how it may be integrated into your overall functional medicine plan.
Schedule Your Consultation
Phone: (760) 875-2627
Encinitas Office:
317 North El Camino Real, Suite 107, Encinitas, CA 92024
Winter Park, FL:
Telehealth available
Website: linettewilliamsonmd.com
.png)