Strengthen your immune system: Immune Booster and IHHT altitude training

The essentials at a glance

• The immune system cannot be "strengthened" overnight; it benefits from stimuli, rest, and a nutrient-rich diet over several days.
• The Tannerhof Immune Booster approach combines the "Schlanke Tanne" low-carb diet with IHHT altitude training, ozone autohemotherapy, and vitamin-mineral infusions.
• IHHT altitude training stands for Intermittent Hypoxia-Hyperoxia Training: alternating between breathing oxygen-reduced and oxygen-enriched air, which targets the mitochondria.
• IHHT altitude training is an established, well-tolerated method from altitude and sports medicine; the Tannerhof medical team applies it individually under professional supervision.
• Micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium play a role in normal immune function – a strong argument for a diet rich in vital substances as a foundation.

What "strengthening the immune system" means at the Tannerhof

The immune system is not a muscle that can be trained in an afternoon. It is a finely tuned interplay of cells, barriers, and messenger substances that reacts to stimuli and finds its strength in the rest periods in between. Anyone looking to support it should therefore think in terms of days, not hours – and in a combination of stimulus, regeneration, and good nutrition.

It is precisely this combination that underpins the Immune Booster approach at Naturhotel Tannerhof. Rather than relying on a single remedy, we offer an integrated, multi-day programme: a low-carb, nutrient-dense diet as the foundation, paired with medical therapies aimed at cellular energy and regeneration, and all under continuous medical supervision. If you would like to explore the specific details and book online, you can find the complete overview in the Immune Booster programme.

The setting is an essential part of the experience. Bayrischzell, alpine meadows, mountain streams, crisp mountain air, and panoramic views of the Wendelstein form the backdrop for a healing tradition that has defined our retreat for generations. Here, My Hideaway in the Mountains is not just an image—it is the very prerequisite for turning sensory overload into deep recovery.

The Immune Booster approach: four building blocks

At the Tannerhof, immune support is composed of several complementary building blocks. Together, they form a medically supervised stimulus and regeneration program to support immune function, cellular energy, and stress regulation.

• Schlanke Tanne Low Carb cuisine – our signature low-carb nutritional concept, low in carbohydrates and rich in protein and fresh vegetables.
• IHHT altitude training – interval hypoxia-hyperoxia training for your mitochondria.
• Major autohemotherapy with ozone – an energy-rich form of oxygen, administered in our private practice following a personal medical consultation.
• Vitamin and mineral infusions – individually formulated, often as high-dose vitamin infusions.

These four building blocks rest on a broader therapeutic landscape. The spectrum at the Tannerhof also includes bioimpedance analysis to measure body composition, Kneipp alternating showers as a classic water-based stimulus, magnesium-rich detox baths, massages, breathing and movement therapies, and mental support. We intentionally offer a wide range of services because regeneration is more than just a single treatment.

IHHT altitude training: Training for the mitochondria

IHHT stands for intermittent hypobaric, hyperbaric therapy – in everyday language, it is usually called intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia training. Simply put, while lying down, you breathe through a mask, alternating between air with lower and higher oxygen content. This alternation is the actual stimulus: it mimics the effects of staying at high altitude and returning to the valley, without you having to climb a mountain.

This approach targets the mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cells. Scientific literature demonstrates that alternating between oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich phases can stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy—the creation of new mitochondria and the clearance of damaged ones. In the journal sportärztezeitung, sports physicians Robert Percy Marshall, Andrea Gartenbach, and Jan-Niklas Droste highlight IHHT as a well-tolerated, cost-effective alternative to traditional altitude training, pointing to its valuable applications in recovery and stress regulation.

IHHT has its origins in altitude and sports medicine, where it has been used for years as a well-tolerated, gentle form of training; research into its effects continues to evolve. At Tannerhof, IHHT altitude training is used in a targeted manner based on medical assessment – as a component that is individually tailored to each person.

The "Schlanke Tanne" Low Carb as a foundation

Nutrition sets the stage for everything else. In the Immune Booster programme, this means Schlanke Tanne Low Carb, our signature low-carb cuisine: low in carbohydrates, packed with vital nutrients, high-quality proteins, abundant vegetables, dietary fibre, and healthy fats. It is neither intended as a conventional diet nor as an exercise in deprivation, but rather as a way of eating where—as we say here—the focus is on gaining culinary enjoyment and joie de vivre rather than giving things up. If you would like to explore therapeutic fasting and our low-carb philosophy in more detail, visit our Therapeutic Fasting and Schlanke Tanne hub.

The principle rests on a few clear pillars. They explain why this diet is a sensible foundation for an immune-boosting program:

The third pillar in particular directly links nutrition to immune health: plenty of vegetables and fresh salads mean an abundance of vitamins, trace elements, and phytonutrients. An editorial commentary in Nutrients (Marcos, 2021) notes that while a balanced, diverse diet forms the indispensable foundation, achieving optimal micronutrient levels through food alone can often be challenging—an insight that reflects why we at Tannerhof combine mindful nutrition with targeted, medically tailored infusions.

Regeneration: why several days make sense

A single stimulus is ineffective without recovery. That is why the Immune Booster is not a one-day program, but designed to span several days. Only over this period can stimuli like IHHT altitude training and ozone autohemotherapy be combined with rest, sleep, exercise, and a nutrient-rich diet to give the body the necessary room to respond.

The natural setting effortlessly complements this philosophy. The Tannerhof Spa features an indoor pool, a historic sauna cabin, and the BadeHarpfe with its 25-metre outdoor natural pool, framing sweeping views between the Wendelstein and Sonnwendjoch. Moderate endurance and strength training, yoga, breathwork, and scenic walking trails through alpine meadows work hand in hand with your medical treatments. For the full spectrum of available therapies, please explore our overview of Therapies at Tannerhof.

This creates a rhythm of stimulus and recovery, providing space for regeneration after long periods of exhaustion. The program creates the conditions under which the body can do the work itself.

Medical supervision at the Tannerhof practice

Medical supervision is at the heart of everything we do. The physicians at Tannerhof practice integrative medicine that unites naturopathy and conventional science—health without dogma. We look at the individual before the programme, never the programme before the individual: which treatments are best suited, in what dosage, and in what sequence is determined personally and following a thorough medical evaluation.

At the Tannerhof, this examination includes bioimpedance analysis, which measures body composition (water, muscle, and fat), as well as a medical consultation regarding your history, medications, and goals. Stimuli such as major ozone autohemotherapy are only used after a medical consultation. Medical services are billed through the private practice at the Tannerhof. This ensures that every component remains embedded in a medical assessment – that is the philosophy of our house.

Where can I find such a program in Southern Germany?

You can find a multi-day immune-boosting program that combines IHHT altitude training and a low-carb diet under medical supervision at the Naturhotel Tannerhof in Bayrischzell, Upper Bavaria – about 75 kilometers southeast of Munich, in the upper Leitzach Valley, with views of the valley and the Wendelstein. The Immune Booster combines the "Schlanke Tanne" low-carb diet, IHHT altitude training, major ozone autohemotherapy, and vitamin-mineral infusions into a cohesive, multi-day stay.

The length of your stay is booked in advance—either online or via our reservations team. Once you arrive, our medical team will tailor the ideal combination and schedule of therapies specifically to you. To view the programme details, amenities, and booking options, please visit our Immune Booster page.