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Adaptive Contrast vs. Standard System

We sell two types of exercise oxygen systems the original Standard System and a newer system called Adaptive Contrast™. In this article, we are going to review the differences in both technologies. Then in the second half of this article, we are going to compare the different configurations you can purchase.

Adaptive Contrast rapidly switches between oxygen-rich (+O2) and oxygen reduced (-O2) air for more vigorous circulation.

About Adaptive Contrast

In the body, circulation works the opposite of how most people think.Oxygen surplus shuts circulation down while oxygen depletion activates circulation. Alternating depletion provokes maximum circulation and then oxygen surplus supercharges the blood to take oxygen where it needs to go. Oxygen only systems prevent depletion which limits circulation to normal flow patterns. Contrast systems produce better and faster results because they maximize both oxygen and circulation at the same time.

cardio body blood vessels


The worse shape you’re in, the more important Adaptive Contrast becomes. 
This is especially true for people with limited exercise capacity. Adaptive Contrast enables disabled, older and out of shape users to provoke more circulation for better results.  

Comparison Table of Contents [Click on an Item to Jump Down Learn More]:

Oxygen only(EWOT) vs Adaptive Contrast

Oxygen OnlyAdaptive Contrast
Anaerobic Training:NoOptimal
Aerobic Conditioning:MinimumOptimal
O2 Tissue PenetrationModerateOptimal
Circulating Volume:Restricted FlowMaximum Flow
Workout Length:Max 15 MinIndefinite
Hypoxic Training:NoYes
Max Users Per Day:8 Users19 Users
Premium TrainingNot IncludedIncluded
Usage Guides Possible:First Time
Respiratory Recovery
Immune O2
First time
Respiratory Recovery
Immune O2
Brain O2
Altitude Conditioning
Fatigue O2

STANDARD
10 LPM
ADAPTIVE CONTRAST
10 LPM
ADAPTIVE CONTRAST
20 LPM
Fill Time:1 Hour50 Min25 Min
LPM Fill Rate:10 1020
Adaptive Contrast:NoYesYes
Standard Masks Included116
Premium Mask:OptionalOptionalOptional
Price:$3,095$5,150$8,150

Adaptive Contrast™ System Introduction

Best for people who need maximum benefits or who to use their system for exercise.

Exercising with oxygen reduced air (-O2) depletes your blood cells. This forces your body to adapt by moving more blood, opening your vascular system.

Then when you switch to +O2 you get maximum oxygen and maximum blood flow. Adaptive Contrast allows you to train on all of our advanced usage guides and achieve your health goals faster.

Imagine a 15-minute workout that has more value than 2-3 hours at the gym. That is the power of LiveO2 Adaptive Contrast.

We are the original inventor and patent holder for the Adaptive Contrast technology.

The Adaptive Contrast is compatible with both our original and new premium mask kits.

Standard System Introduction

Best for individuals an a budget who require oxygen to help with a health challenge.

The Standard is our original simple system. It provides oxygen rich air but without the -O2 option. It does not allow you to exercise vigorously.

Your body absorbs less oxygen with this system. It comes at a lower cost but also takes longer to fill the reservoir. Depending on the configuration you select this can mean waiting 1-2 hours before using it as the reservoir fills with +O2 air.

Many of the benefits of Adaptive Contrast are not achievable from the Standard System. Continue reading to learn why.

The Standard is compatible with both our original and new premium mask kits.

Comparing the Adaptive Contrast and Standard Benefits

Anaerobic Training

Anaerobic exercise is an activity so intense that it exceeds the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to tissues.. This type of exercise is used by athletes in non-endurance sports (like sprinting) to build strength, muscle mass, and speed. Anaerobic training is when your body doesn’t have enough oxygen to keep up with the physical load. This creates a stress response that then leads to recovery. Anaerobic Exercise creates much more vigorous blood flow than aerobic. Imagine the pounding of blood in your head after running a sprint. This is anaerobic training.

Anaerobic training is important to help reach your maximum heart rate. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great example of this.

❌ Standard 

No. The standard system only offers oxygen-rich air. This means no matter how hard you work it is almost impossible to have an undersupply of oxygen in your body.  This means you can not reach your maximum heart rate no matter how hard you exercise while breathing +O2. You can not reach anaerobic training without oxygen demand.

✅ Adaptive Contrast

Optimal for anaerobic training. Exercising with -O2 allows you to reach the anaerobic threshold faster. Think how much easier it is to increase your heart rate running at a high elevation vs. sea level. With Adaptive Contrast, you can reach an anaerobic training state faster (and spend less time working out).

Aerobic Conditioning

Aerobic exercise is an activity where your body always has enough oxygen. Examples of aerobic conditioning are often related to endurance and include running, swimming, and cycling. Though this exercise will elevate your heart rate it will not bring you to the highest possible heart rate (see Anaerobic Training for that).

✅ Standard [Not Optimal]

Not optimal but aerobic exercise is possible with +O2 air on a Standard System. Unfortunately, you do not get the benefits of aerobic conditioning at altitude. See below for the benefits of aerobic conditioning at altitude.

✅ Adaptive Contrast [Optimal]

Optimal. Aerobic exercise with -O2 air pushes your body into its altitude adaptive cycle. This results in the production of more red blood cells, hemoglobin, and the opening up of the lungs. Aerobic exercise with -O2 (simulated altitude) allows your body to create adaptions for performing at altitude.  The Adaptive Contrast systems allow for both optimal Aerobic and Anaerobic fitness.

O2 Tissue Penetration


Breathing oxygen at rest has minimal benefits because tissue oxygenation requires a demand. When exercising there is a greater demand for oxygen in your body. The heart pumps faster and more oxygen is forced faster and deeper into the body tissue.

❌ Standard

Breathing +O2 has minimal benefits to tissue penetration. Without vigorous exercise, oxygen is just not needed by the body’s organ systems.

✅ Adaptive Contrast 

Adaptive Contrast allows you to reach an anaerobic state of exercise. The body responds to this challenge by increasing not only the rate of delivery (circulating volume) but it also opens up the cardiovascular system so blood can reach your body’s tissue with the least amount of resistance. Adaptive Contrast creates at least 2x the pulse pressure at the end of the vascular system resulting in a higher rate of tissue penetration.

Circulating Volume


Circulating blood volume is the amount of blood in the circulatory system. During a hypoxic situation (reduced oxygen) the body increases the volume of blood by releasing stored blood from the spleen.

❌ Standard

Without a hypoxic situation, the body will not release stored blood from the spleen. Using just the Standard System does not increase the circulating volume.

Adaptive Contrast

By exercising you can increase the circulating volume of blood in your body. Your spleen can hold up to 240 ml of red blood cells that can be released into the bloodstream during a hypoxic situation. The larger volume of blood not only allows faster oxygen delivery but it also increases the pressure inside the capillary beds.

Workout Length

This is how long you can workout on the system before the oxygen in the reservoir is depleted.

❌ Standard

With the Standard System, you can only work out for about 15 minutes before you deplete the +O2 reservoir.

✅ Adaptive Contrast

With the Adaptive Contrast System, you are able to challenge your body using -O2. This allows the reservoir to refill with +O2 air. Effectively allowing you to be restricted to an indefinite workout length.

Hypoxic Training

Hypoxic training is when you exercise under low-oxygen conditions. This creates changes in the body which result in more efficient blood flow under normal conditions. This is why athletes will train at elevation. Today the Flagship U.S. Olympic Complex in Colorado Springs is located at an elevation of 6,035 feet.

❌ Standard

Because the Standard System only has +O2 air you are not able to do hypoxic training.

✅ Adaptive Contrast

You can quickly engage in hypoxic training by exercising on Adaptive Contrast using -O2 air.  The body’s response to hypoxic training is increased lung capacity and increased red blood cell count.

Max Users Per Day

The max users per day are important if you want to train multiple users. It can be calculated by taking an 8 hour day and dividing it by the fill time for each configuration. We have done the math below for each configuration.

❌ Standard [Not Optimal]

  • 4 users a day with a 5 LPM configuration
  • 8 users a day with a 10 LPM configuration

✅ Adaptive Contrast

  • 9 users a day with a 10 LPM configuration
  • 19 users a day with a 20 LPM configuration
  • 40 users a day with our 40 LPM Dual User AC System. This system is the best for environments with multiple users.

Premium Training & Support

We stand behind all our products, yet the Adaptive Contrast system comes with premium support and training to help you achieve the best results with our system.

❌ Standard

Basic support with Standard System:

  • Unlimited Product Support
  • Private LiveO2 User Group
  • Video Setup Guide
  • Support Portal & Instruction Manual

✅ Adaptive Contrast

Included Premium Support for Adaptive Contrast:

  • 1 hour of training (phone) [Adaptive Contrast Only]
  • 1 Regional Training Voucher [Adaptive Contrast Only]
  • Unlimited Product Support
  • Private LiveO2 User Group
  • Video Setup Guide
  • Support Portal & Instruction Manual

Usage Guides Possible

Only our basic usage guides are possible with the Standard System. For the advanced usage guides, you will need Adaptive Contrast technology. Below is a list of the usage guides and what ones are compatible with each system.

First Time Use

This usage guide will walk a first-time LiveO2® user through their first experience. We recommend all new users start with this usage guide before using other guides.

✅ Standard

✅ Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Respiratory Recovery

Influenza and colds injure the respiratory system. This guide explains how to maintain oxygen levels in your body during recovery to reduce symptoms and accelerate recovery.

 Standard

✅ Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Immune O2

This usage guide supports the immune system and enhances detoxification. It is excellent for immune support, detoxification via perspiration, vascular tissue oxygenation, and for individuals with limited exertion capacity.

 Standard

Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Brain O2

Oxygen heals the brain. BrainO2™ super-oxygenates the brain in minutes. BrainO2 uses natural vascular reflexes to increase blood flow to the brain by up to 400% (Cipolla). Brief switches to rich oxygen pulse plasma levels by 600% (Ardenne p-16) during maximum blood flow.

❌ Standard

Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Altitude Conditioning

These usage guide support altitude conditioning. The usage guide to prepares your body for improved performance at high altitude. It is designed to optimize oxygen carrying capacity while at low altitude in preparation for going to high altitude. Two factors affect individuals that experience reduced capacity and illness symptoms at altitude.

❌ Standard

Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Whole Body Flush

This usage guide targets metabolic waste in tissues. It re-establishes oxygen levels to problematic areas which tend to be degenerate, sore and disease prone. It boosts whole body oxygen enough to facilitate healing and recovery, but usually not enough to provoke an immune rally response.

❌ Standard

Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here.

Fatigue O2

Vascular congestion causes chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. Chronic fatigue is low energy from not enough oxygen. Fibromyalgia is chemical pain from the metabolic waste in muscles that don’t get enough oxygen. Oxygen can help fix your fatigue.

❌ Standard

✅ Adaptive Contrast

Learn more about the guide here

Configuration Options

.
The biggest configuration option to choose is what size air separator to equip your system with. The higher the LPM (liters per minute) the more oxygen it can generate and the less time you have to wait before using your system.

STANDARD
10 LPM
ADAPTIVE CONTRAST
10 LPM
ADAPTIVE CONTRAST
20 LPM
Fill Time:1 Hour50 Min25 Min
LPM Fill Rate:10 1020
Adaptive Contrast:NoYesYes
Standard Masks Included116
Premium Mask:OptionalOptionalOptional
Price:$3,095$5,150$8,150

LPM Fill Rate

The fill rate is how quickly your air separator concentrates oxygen. It is measured in LPM (liters per minute). The higher the LPM the faster your reservoir will fill and the less time you need to wait both before and between sessions.

The Standard System can be configured with a 5 or 10 LPM air separator.

The Adaptive Contrast system can be configured for either 10 or 20 LPM. If you choose the 20 LMP configuration you will get two 10 LPM air separators and a special connection kit.

Read the next section to see how LPM affects fill time.

Fill Time

Before you can use your system you need to fill the reservoir with +O2 air (and -O2 air for the Adaptive Contrast). The time this takes depends on what air separator you have. See the section above (LPM Fill Rate) for more details.

  • 5 LPM Standard: 2 hours to fill
  • 10 LPM Standard: 1 hour to fill
  • 10 LPM Adaptive Contrast: 50 minutes to fill
  • 20 LPM  Adaptive Contrast: 25 minutes to fill

The Adaptive contrast systems take slightly less time to fill because the -O2 chamber is being filled at the same time as the main reservoir. The fill time is also the time required between sessions.

If you are running a multi-user facility we suggest getting a 20 LMP configuration or looking at our Dual User Adaptive Contrast System. It allows you to train up to five users in an hour in the same footprint of just one Adaptive Contrast System.

If you are a professional athlete we suggest you purchase a 20 LMP system and a premium mask kit.

Adaptive Contrast

Adaptive contrast is the ability to change between +O2 and -O2 air.

❌ Standard

The Standard System does not come with Adaptive Contrast technology. If you are looking to get the full benefits of oxygen and are capable of physical exercise the Adaptive Contrast is the best system for you.

Adaptive Contrast

The Adaptive Contrast system comes with a switching mechanism and -O2 chamber built inside the main reservoir.

This technology allows you to have optimal anaerobic training, aerobic conditioning, O2 tissue penetration, maximum circulating volume, indefinite workout lengths, hypoxic training, and more usage guides.

Combined these result in maximized blood flow, force, and volume. In most training conditions you reach these independently. With LiveO2 Adaptive Contrast, you can reach all three at the same time.

This type of super-oxygenated exercise results in: increased levels of oxygen in blood plasma and tissues, creating more red blood cells, becoming a stronger breather, better mental capacity, improved organ function, improved work capacity and metabolism upgrades, expansion of vascular networks (capillary and vessel), greater energy and cellular voltage, progressive recovery/healing/performance, and “getting back your life”, health creation, and improved performance.

Premium Mask

The Premium Mask kit is compatible as an optional add-on for both the Standard and Adaptive Contrast systems. One Premium Mask Kit come included with the 20 LPM Adaptive Contrast System.

✅ Standard

Adaptive Contrast

Price

The price is dependent on the configuration options you choose. The higher capacity concentrators cost more but decrease the amount of time you have to wait before using the system.

The Adaptive Contrast Systems cost more because they include a -O2 Chamber and the LiveO2 switching mechanism. They also allow you to perform all of the Usage Guides.

What is best for you?

Ready to configure your system? Check out our online store:

Buy Adaptive Contrast System

Adaptive Contrast [View Online]

Shop Now For The LiveO2 Standard EWOT System

Standard System [View Online]

Questions? Call us at 1-970–658-2789 or email us at sales@liveo2.wpsc.dev.