Diabetes Drug May Protect Heart by Producing Hydrogen Gas in Gut
- Authors
- Yoshihiko Suzuki, Motoaki Sano, Kentaro Hayashida, Ikuroh Ohsawa, Shigeo Ohta, Keiichi Fukuda
- Journal
- FEBS Letters
- Year
- 2009
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.febslet.2009.05.052
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
A diabetes medicine called acarbose makes your gut produce more hydrogen gas as a side effect, and scientists think this extra hydrogen might actually be protecting your heart by fighting off harmful stuff in your body—so the gas you get might be doing something good for you.
Key Finding
Acarbose, a diabetes medication, significantly increases hydrogen gas production in the gastrointestinal tract, which the researchers propose may contribute to cardiovascular protection through antioxidant mechanisms.
Summary
This study proposes a new explanation for why acarbose, a diabetes medication, may protect the heart. When acarbose is taken, it causes undigested carbohydrates to reach the colon, where bacteria ferment them and produce hydrogen gas. The researchers suggest that this hydrogen gas acts as an antioxidant (a substance that reduces harmful oxidative stress in the body) and may help prevent heart damage. The study is theoretical and based on previous research showing hydrogen's antioxidant properties, but it does not present new experimental evidence.
Practical Takeaway
This is a hypothesis paper without experimental results, so it cannot yet support any practical recommendations about hydrogen water or acarbose. The idea is interesting but highly speculative—it would require clinical studies to determine whether the hydrogen produced by acarbose actually causes cardiovascular benefits, or whether other mechanisms are responsible. Anyone taking acarbose should continue following their doctor's guidance.
Abstract
The major side-effect of treatment with alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, flatulence, occurs when undigested carbohydrates are fermented by colonic bacteria, resulting in gas formation. We propose that the cardiovascular benefits of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors are partly attributable to their ability to neutralise oxidative stress via increased production of H(2) in the gastrointestinal tract. Acarbose, which is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, markedly increased H(2) production, with a weaker effect on methane production. Our hypothesis is based on our recent discovery that H(2) acts as a unique antioxidant, and that when inhaled or taken orally as H(2)-dissolved water it ameliorates ischaemia-reperfusion injury and atherosclerosis development.