Hydrogen Therapy May Protect Against Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
- Authors
- Abdollah Moossavi, Fereshte Begheri, Hamid Ramezani Farkhani
- Journal
- Journal of Rehabilitaton Medicine
- Year
- 2018
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Iran
- Health Condition
- Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
- Body System
- Auditory System
TL;DR
Hydrogen molecules might help prevent hearing damage from loud noises because they're really good at getting into cells and fighting the harmful stuff (oxidative stress) that damages hearing—and they can do this better than most other treatments.
Key Finding
Hydrogen molecules may have advantages over other antioxidants for protecting hearing because they can penetrate deep into cells and cross the blood-brain barrier, where most other antioxidants cannot reach.
Summary
This review article examined whether hydrogen molecules could help prevent or treat hearing loss caused by loud noise. Hydrogen is an antioxidant (a substance that reduces harmful chemical reactions in cells) that can easily pass through cell membranes and even cross into the brain. The researchers reviewed existing scientific literature to understand how hydrogen might protect hearing by reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) and preventing inflammation.
Practical Takeaway
This is a literature review rather than a new experimental study, so it summarizes existing research rather than providing new evidence. No human trials were conducted, and the specific effects of hydrogen on hearing loss in people remain unclear. While the theoretical properties of hydrogen are promising, more direct research in humans is needed before any conclusions can be drawn about its practical use for hearing protection.
Abstract
Background and Aim: Acute oxidative stress directly contributes to tissue injury. Hydrogen molecule with the rapid penetration is able to penetrate the biomembranes and diffuse into the cytosol. Moreover, H2 passes through the blood brain barrier, although most antioxidant compounds cannot; this is also an advantage of H2. The aim of this article was to review the literature regarding the effect of hydrogen molecule on auditory system. Material & Methods: We searched Medline, Google Scholar, PubMed and SID search engines with the 'antioxidant' and 'hydrogen' keywords and read textbooks about this subject between 1973 and 2012. Conclusion: Hydrogen molecule as an antioxidant potentially has numerous benefits including rapid diffusion into tissues and cells. Also it is mild enough neither to disturb metabolic redox reactions nor to affect reactive oxygen species that function in cell signaling and the action mechanism of hydrogen molecule is performed via decrease of the enzymes involved in apoptosis and inflammation. Cite this article as: Abdollah Moossavi, Fereshte Bagheri, Hamid Ramezani Farkhani. Capabilities of hydrogen Molecules for use in the prevention and treatment in noise induced hearing loss. J Rehab Med 2014; 2(4): 55-66.