Hydrogen Water and Chemotherapy Side Effects in Mice
A Novel Therapy for Cisplatin-Induced Allodynia and Dysfunctional and Emotional Impairments in Male and Female Mice
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System · Musculoskeletal System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Ignacio Martínez-Martel, Olga Pol
- Journal
- Antioxidants
- Year
- 2023
- PMID
- 38136183
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- hydrogen-rich water
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 6 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Spain
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) may help prevent nerve pain and emotional distress caused by the chemotherapy drug cisplatin in mice.
Key Finding
In mice, prophylactic treatment with hydrogen-rich water prevented cisplatin-induced nerve pain, anxiety, depression-like behaviors, and physical weakness by reducing inflammatory and oxidative responses in nerve and brain tissues.
Summary
Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that causes painful nerve damage, anxiety, depression, and muscle weakness in patients. Researchers gave mice cisplatin and treated some with hydrogen-rich water (water infused with hydrogen gas) before the drug was administered. The hydrogen-rich water prevented nerve pain, reduced anxiety and depression-like behaviors, and prevented muscle weakness and weight loss in both male and female mice, possibly by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) in nerve and brain tissues.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen-rich water may help protect against cisplatin side effects. However, these results are from mice only and do not yet demonstrate safety or effectiveness in humans. Much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before hydrogen-rich water could be considered a viable treatment for chemotherapy side effects.
Abstract (excerpt)
Patients undergoing chemotherapy with cisplatin (CIS) develop neuropathy in addition to other symptoms such as, anxiety, depression, muscle wasting and body weight loss. This symptomatology greatly weakens patients and may even lead to adjournment of chemotherapy. The protecting actions…