Oxygen is a gas that your body needs to work properly. Your cells need oxygen to make energy. Your lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe. The oxygen enters your blood from your lungs and travels to your organs and body tissues.

What does oxygen do for the body?

Oxygen reaches your lungs after breathing and then travels throughout your body and reaches every cell in the body. Oxygen is vital for oxidizing food for releasing energy and heat which is required for performing daily tasks of life.

Why do we need oxygen?

The body needs enough oxygen to keep the blood adequately saturated, so that cells and tissues get enough oxygen to function properly. Furthermore, cells and tissues can neither "save up" nor "catch up" on oxygen — they need a constant supply.