Hydrogen Gas Shows Promise for Treating Inflammation and Disease

Authors
Journal
Frontiers in Physiology
Year
DOI
10.3389/fphys.2021.789507
Study Type
clinical
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
China
Health Condition
Acute Pancreatitis
Body System
Respiratory

TL;DR

Breathing in a special hydrogen gas might help fight inflammation and damage inside your body by stopping harmful chemicals called free radicals, and scientists think it could help treat serious diseases like COVID-19 and other illnesses caused by inflammation.

Key Finding

Molecular hydrogen may reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death through its ability to penetrate cell membranes and neutralize harmful reactive oxygen species, with potential applications across multiple acute and chronic inflammatory diseases.

Summary

This review article examines how molecular hydrogen (H2), a colorless gas, may help treat various diseases by reducing harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (unstable atoms that damage cells), decreasing inflammation, and preventing cell death. Because hydrogen molecules are very small, they can easily enter cells throughout the body. The article discusses how hydrogen can be delivered through inhalation, drinking hydrogen-rich water, or injection, and suggests it may help with conditions like pancreatitis, sepsis, lung disease, and COVID-19, though the exact mechanisms are still being studied.

Practical Takeaway

While this review suggests hydrogen therapy has promise and a good safety profile, it is primarily a summary of existing research rather than new evidence. Most supporting studies have been conducted in animals or are preliminary; more rigorous human clinical trials are needed before definitive claims can be made about hydrogen water's health benefits for specific conditions.

Abstract

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a colorless and odorless gas. Studies have shown that H2 inhalation has the therapeutic effects in many animal studies and clinical trials, and its application is recommended in the novel coronavirus pneumonia treatment guidelines in China recently. H2 has a relatively small molecular mass, which helps it quickly spread and penetrate cell membranes to exert a wide range of biological effects. It may play a role in the treatment and prevention of a variety of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as acute pancreatitis, sepsis, respiratory disease, ischemia reperfusion injury diseases, autoimmunity diseases, etc.. H2 is primarily administered via inhalation, drinking H2-rich water, or injection of H2 saline. It may participate in the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity (mitochondrial energy metabolism), immune system regulation, and cell death (apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis) through annihilating excess reactive oxygen species production and modulating nuclear transcription factor. However, the underlying mechanism of H2 has not yet been fully revealed. Owing to its safety and potential efficacy, H2 has a promising potential for clinical use against many diseases. This review will demonstrate the role of H2 in antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects and its underlying mechanism, particularly in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), providing strategies for the medical application of H2 for various diseases.