Hydrogen Water Reduces Stress and Inflammation in Research Study
- Authors
- Di Hu, Danxi Li, Mika Shigeta, Yuta Ochi, Takashi Okauchi, Hiroyuki Neyama, Shigeru Kabayama, Yasuyoshi Watanabe, Yilong Cui
- Journal
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.035
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Chronic Stress
- Body System
- Endocrine
TL;DR
Drinking water enriched with molecular hydrogen and tiny platinum particles can reduce stress-related damage and inflammation in the body.
Key Finding
In stressed rats, drinking electrolyzed hydrogen water reduced stress-induced oxidative damage and inflammation markers while increasing the body's natural antioxidant defenses.
Summary
Researchers gave rats continuous stress for 5 days and measured harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory markers in their blood. Some stressed rats drank electrolyzed hydrogen water (water enriched with hydrogen gas produced through electrolysis), while others did not. The rats drinking hydrogen water showed lower levels of stress-related harmful molecules and inflammatory markers, and higher levels of natural antioxidants (molecules that protect cells) compared to stressed rats drinking regular water.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen water may help counteract stress-related cellular damage, but results from rats do not directly translate to humans. Human studies would be needed to determine whether these effects occur in people and at what doses. The study's lack of reported sample size and duration details also limits confidence in the findings.
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive and directly attack surrounding biomolecules to deteriorate cellular and tissue functions. Meanwhile, ROS also serve as signaling mediators to upregulate pro-inflammatory cytokine expression via activation of the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway, and the increased pro-inflammatory cytokines trigger respiratory burst of inflammatory cells that further accelerates ROS production in the inflamed tissue. Such crosstalk between ROS and inflammatory responses leads to a chain reaction of negativity, and cause progression of several chronic pathologies. Since molecular hydrogen is known to preferentially remove cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrites, and to prevent cell and tissue damage, we here examined whether electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW) enriched with molecular hydrogen and reactive hydrogen storing platinum nanoparticles dissolved from an electrode could alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation induced by continuous stress challenges. Five-day continuous stress loading to rats elevated reactive oxygen metabolites-derived compounds (d-ROMs), interleukin (IL)-1β, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels and decreased the biological antioxidant potential (BAP) level. Drinking EHW during 5-day continuous stress loading significantly alleviated all of these changes. The results suggest that EHW could suppress stress-response-associated oxidative stress and IL-1β level elevation in vivo, and that drinking of EHW is effective for controlling stress responses via its antioxidant potential.