Hydrogen Water Reduces Fatty Liver Disease in High-Methionine Diet Study
- Authors
- Wen-Bin Chu, Tian-Qi Ding, Bo Wen, Jun-Yu Lu, Rong Fan, Xue-Wei Chen
- Journal
- Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.12047/j.cjap.6382.2022.143
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Body System
- Hepatic
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water reduced blood homocysteine levels and improved liver health in rats with a condition that can lead to fatty liver disease.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water significantly reduced blood homocysteine levels and liver damage in rats with diet-induced high homocysteine and fatty liver disease.
Summary
Researchers fed rats a diet high in methionine (an amino acid) to create high blood homocysteine levels and fatty liver disease. They then gave some of these rats hydrogen-rich water to drink for 6 weeks. Compared to rats that didn't receive hydrogen water, those that did had lower homocysteine levels in their blood, less liver damage, and improved liver function. The hydrogen appeared to work by boosting the rat's natural ability to break down homocysteine.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen water may help with homocysteine-related liver problems, but results from rats do not automatically apply to humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before hydrogen water could be recommended as a treatment for fatty liver disease or high homocysteine in people.
Abstract (excerpt)
Objective: To investigate the alleviating effect of hydrogen (H2) on homocysteine (Hcy) levels and non alcoholic fatty liver in rats with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). Methods: After one week of adaptive feeding, Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: the general diet group (CHOW)…