A new health and wellness venture has opened its doors in Clydebank, offering a cutting-edge therapy designed to support recovery, boost energy, and improve overall wellbeing.
Normobaric Glasgow, based within the Titan Enterprise Business Centre, is Scotland’s first stationary, multi-person normobaric oxygen therapy centre. The business was founded by husband-and-wife team Michal and Anna Urbanska, who moved to Glasgow from Poland in 2015. The couple were inspired to launch the venture after seeing the growing popularity of normobaric therapy in Poland, where it’s used by athletes and people living with chronic conditions to help the body recover naturally.
Normobaric therapy involves spending time in a pressurised chamber with a slightly elevated atmospheric pressure and a balanced mix of gases: around 35% to 40% oxygen, 1% to 2% carbon dioxide, 0.5% hydrogen, and the remainder primarily nitrogen. Research has shown that this combination potentially helps the body absorb more oxygen, reduce inflammation, support tissue repair, and even stimulate stem cell growth.
During a session, participants settle into comfortable leather armchairs inside a large, inflated chamber that feels similar to being in an aircraft cabin, with gentle changes in pressure and steady airflow. They can read, listen to music, or even catch up on emails, while the oxygen-rich atmosphere works to boost their wellbeing. Each session lasts around two hours, offering a calm and rejuvenating experience from start to finish.
Michal and Anna secured £50,000 of Start Up Loans financing with support from DSL Business Finance to purchase the specialist equipment and secure the Clydebank premises. The funding also covered transport costs for the chamber, which was shipped from Poland.
Michal said: “When we first experienced normobaric therapy in Poland, we were amazed by the difference it made to people’s health and energy levels. We knew straight away we wanted to bring that experience to Scotland. Our goal is to help people live more comfortably, whether that’s managing pain, recovering from an illness, or simply feeling better day to day. The funding has made it possible for us to take this first step, and over time, we’d love to open more centres across Scotland and raise awareness of how this therapy can improve people’s lives.”
For some, the benefits can be felt after just one session. 64-year-old Marie-Thérèse Connelly, who lives with emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), experienced significant improvements in her breathing and mobility following a visit to the facility.
She said: “I used the normobaric chamber last night and I feel so much better. I felt no discomfort while I was in the chamber – it was so much easier for me to breathe, and it was a comfortable, relaxing experience. I had the best night’s sleep and woke up feeling rested and refreshed. My mobility has improved and the muscle strain in my neck has eased considerably. I can’t wait to use this chamber again, as after only one two-hour session, I feel better than I have in years.”
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Since launching in 2012, the Start Up Loans programme has provided £1m of funding to businesses in West Dunbartonshire. On average, each business owner has received £9,950 as well as being offered support in areas such as marketing, business development, and business plan writing.
Barry McCulloch, senior manager, UK Network, Scotland at the British Business Bank, said: “Michal and Anna have introduced a new technical capability to Scotland’s wellbeing economy. Their passion for helping others is evident, and their commitment to bringing this technology to Scotland for the first time shows great entrepreneurial spirit. Normobaric Glasgow is a brilliant example of the creativity and ambition within the city’s business community.”
Lindsay Hamilton, senior loan officer at DSL Business Finance, added: “Michal and Anna were very determined to bring this exciting new therapy to Scotland. They had a very thorough and well-thought-out business plan and cashflow forecast to back up the research that they had done on this service. DSL Business Finance is proud to have played a role in bringing Glasgow its first normobaric chamber.”
