Neurological implications
Persistent inflammatory response with cognitive and neurological sequelae.
Project 01 · Global Health Challenge
Lyme Disease
A chronic condition affecting millions worldwide, with neurological consequences that differ by age group and documented links to autism in children and Alzheimer’s in seniors. The Foundation researches the mitochondrial dysfunction underlying persistent symptoms, and the oxygen-modulation protocols that address it.
$3.4bnMarket size
645Lyme clinics
The global picture
What the landscape actually looks like
Our Lyme GeoDashboard maps the worldwide response to the disease — who is treating it, who is funding it, and where the research is concentrated.
$3.4bnGlobal market size
645Specialist clinics mapped
140+Active investors
105Clinical trials
50+Research hubs
14Government initiatives
4Age cohorts analysed
PrecisionDominant clinic type
The majority of mapped clinics specialise in precision medicine, with the remainder split across longevity rehabilitation, functional medicine and other modalities. The distribution shows a coordinated but fragmented international response — substantial resource, weakly connected.
Epidemiology
A pandemic growing faster than the response
Reported cases in the United States have risen steadily since 1990, but reported figures substantially understate the true incidence. The gap between reported and estimated actual cases is the defining feature of the Lyme data landscape.
Estimated Growth of Lyme Disease Cases in the U.S. (1990–2025)
Estimated growth of Lyme disease cases in the United States, 1990–2025.
Reported cases against estimated true cases — the under-reporting gap.
Economic burden
The cost of not treating it
Chronic Lyme imposes costs that extend well beyond direct medical spend: lost productivity, long-term disability, repeated diagnostic cycles and the downstream neurological consequences that emerge years later.
The economic case for effective intervention is therefore substantially stronger than the direct treatment cost suggests. Every year of delayed diagnosis compounds both the clinical and the financial burden.
- Direct medical costs — diagnosis, treatment and repeated consultation
- Indirect costs — lost productivity and long-term disability
- Downstream burden — the neurological consequences appearing years after infection
Projected economic burden of Lyme disease.
The neurological link
Lyme, autism and Alzheimer’s
Lyme is a chronic condition that manifests distinct neurological implications across age groups, with notable associations to autism in children and Alzheimer’s in seniors. Our research examines the molecular pathways connecting Lyme infection to neurodevelopmental disruption in children and neurodegeneration in older adults.
Maternal transmission
Inflammatory impact during neurodevelopment, with documented association to autism.
Age-related vulnerability
Compounding inflammatory burden, with association to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Veterinary parallel
Neurological concerns and inflammatory response, informing the cross-species evidence base.
- Inflammatory response is the common thread across every cohort
- Case studies inform diagnosis, prevention and intervention design
Treatment research
Why oxygen modulation
Conventional treatment centres on antibiotics. For the substantial population who remain symptomatic afterwards — post-treatment Lyme — that pathway offers little. Our research targets the mitochondrial dysfunction underlying those persistent symptoms.
Intermittent hypoxic-hyperoxic training (IHHT) is emerging as an adjunctive therapy. Known for its effects in chronic disease and ageing, it shows promise in enhancing immune function and improving overall physiological resilience.
- Controlled hypoxic modulation — the primary tool, igniting hormetic adaptation
- Comprehensive protocol design — beyond antibiotics alone, spanning hypoxia therapy, hyperbaric chambers, mind-body intervention and targeted supplementation
- Measured endpoints — inflammatory markers, immune parameters and functional capacity
IHHT cellular mechanisms — mitochondrial biogenesis and repair, and immune balance with reduced chronic inflammation.
The protocol stack
What a comprehensive approach includes
| Modality | Role in the protocol | Status |
|---|---|---|
| IHHT / hypoxic modulation | Primary hormetic driver. Enhances immune function and mitochondrial capacity. | Active research |
| Hyperbaric oxygen | Established adjunct, narrower lever than controlled hypoxic modulation. | Active research |
| Stem cell therapy | Investigated for tissue repair in persistent post-treatment presentations. | Under review |
| Herbal and botanical | Traditional antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents within a composed protocol. | Under review |
| Mind-body intervention | Addresses the autonomic and stress-axis component of chronic presentation. | Active research |
| Targeted supplementation | Mitochondrial support compounds as part of the composed protocol. | Active research |
Management of post-treatment Lyme requires moving beyond conventional antibiotics to a composed, measured protocol. Each modality is assessed against the same evidence standard applied across the Foundation’s portfolio.
The journey to Lyme disease recovery — cycles of low and high oxygen triggering cellular repair and immune restoration.
Community and data
Lyme Fighters Tribe
A community platform for people living with Lyme — built to give structured support, and to create a qualified population for the research programme.
Community engagement is not incidental to the science. It generates the cohort, the adherence data and the measured outcomes that make the protocol research possible at all.
- Structured self-management and protocol guidance
- A qualified population for clinical study recruitment
- Real-world outcome data feeding the evidence base
Clinical evidence
Results from pilot testing of IHHT in Lyme disease
Arkadi Prokopov’s work applying intermittent hypoxic-hyperoxic training to Lyme has produced measurable improvement in patients. Although detailed numbers are not yet provided in the available excerpts, the reported outcomes are consistent and specific.
- Increased energy production — restored mitochondrial function alleviates fatigue and promotes cell repair
- Improvement in physical and cognitive performance — IHHT helps boost brain function, easing the brain fog that is a common symptom of chronic Lyme
- Inflammation elimination — IHHT’s ability to regulate oxidative stress reduces the systemic inflammation that drives symptom exacerbation
- Notable results when combined with other treatments — ketogenic diets and mitochondrial support strategies alongside the protocol produce better recovery rates
Prokopov’s age-adjusted VO2 max reached levels of 39, a figure typically seen in elite athletes, demonstrating the protocol’s capacity to significantly boost mitochondrial metabolism and physical performance.
Symptom distribution across chronic Lyme presentations — neurological, cognitive, immune and inflammatory, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and sleep-hormonal.
The mechanism
How IHHT acts on Lyme pathogenesis
Borrelia hides in low-oxygen niches, exploiting hypoxic micro-environments to evade both the immune system and conventional antibiotics. That is the reason chronic Lyme resists standard treatment.
IHHT works by simulating a natural phenomenon found in fetal development — cyclic oxygenation. Cycles of controlled low and high oxygen trigger adaptive cellular responses, optimising energy production and boosting immunity.
The protocol disrupts the bacteria’s shield by improving oxygen availability in these areas, while simultaneously enhancing the body’s own defence mechanisms. It addresses the pathogen and the host at once.
- Pathogenesis — chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune suppression
- Mechanism — cycles of low and high oxygen stimulate mitochondrial repair and immune function
- Targeted treatment — IHHT disrupts Borrelia’s hypoxic habitat and enhances immune response
The five-stage IHHT treatment process, from hypoxic niches through to enhanced immunity.
Beyond the science
Financing and intelligence
Lyme Investment Financing Enterprises
A first-of-its-kind investment vehicle dedicated to the Lyme sector, structured to direct capital into diagnostics, treatment and clinical infrastructure.
Lyme Market Intelligence BDAS
A big data analytical system applying deep analytics, ranking and forecasting across the global Lyme landscape — clinics, investors, trials and research hubs.
Global Lyme Pandemia
A full analytical report on the landscape, causes and solutions to the global Lyme crisis, published at health-challenge.org/lyme.
How to get involved
Four ways to take part
Scientists and organisations
Joint studies, co-authored publications, shared protocols and data.
Young scientists
Research internships and programme support roles with mentorship.
Foundations
Joint fundraising and co-funded research programmes.
Donors
Directed giving to this project, or sustained programme support.