Hydrogen Gas Protects Liver During Transplant Surgery in Pigs
Beneficial Effects of Hydrogen Gas on Porcine Liver Reperfusion Injury With Use of Total Vascular Exclusion and Active Venous Bypass
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- N. Matsuno, R. Watanabe, M. Kimura, S. Iwata, M. Fujiyama, S. Kono, T. Shigeta, S. Enosawa
- Journal
- Transplantation Proceedings
- Year
- 2014
- PMID
- 24815139
- Study Type
- Pig
- Participants
- 6
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- Hydrogen-saturated lactate Ringer's solution infused through portal vein just before reperfusion
- H₂ concentration
- 5 ppm
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 10 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Infusing hydrogen into the liver during a transplant procedure significantly reduced damage from lack of blood flow and oxygen.
Key Finding
Pigs treated with hydrogen-saturated solution showed dramatically lower liver damage markers after surgery—enzyme levels were 8 to 35 times lower than untreated pigs at various time points after blood flow was restored.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen gas could protect pig livers from damage that occurs during transplantation surgery. Researchers stopped blood flow to the liver for 60 minutes, then gave some pigs a special salt solution containing dissolved hydrogen gas before restoring blood flow. Pigs that received the hydrogen solution had much lower levels of liver damage markers in their blood compared to pigs that didn't receive it, suggesting hydrogen may help reduce injury during this critical surgical period.
Practical Takeaway
While these results are promising, this is an animal study in pigs undergoing a specific surgical procedure, not a test of hydrogen water for general health. The findings suggest hydrogen may have protective effects during liver transplantation, but human clinical trials would be needed to determine if this applies to people or other health situations.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background Liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a high risk factor in liver transplantation and it influences graft survival. One of the major events during I/R injury is the generation of cytotoxic oxygen radicals. Recently, hydrogen gas has been reported to have antioxidant properties…