Hydrogen-Rich Saline May Help with Moderate to Severe Allergic Rhinitis
Clinical study of hydrogen-rich saline in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic rhinitis
Research hubs: Respiratory System
- Evidence type
- Controlled trial (non-randomized) · Human study
- Authors
- J. Jin, S.Q. Yu, X. Zhang, Q. Ge, X.L. Zhang, Y. Wang, M.L. Qin
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery
- Year
- 2018
- PMID
- 29798076
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 20
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- nasal lavage with hydrogen-rich saline
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 3 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Washing the nose with hydrogen-rich saline water is a safe and effective treatment for severe allergies.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline nasal lavage produced significantly greater improvements in allergy symptoms, treatment effectiveness, and quality of life compared to regular saline in patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.
Summary
Researchers tested whether salt water containing dissolved hydrogen gas could help people with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis (nasal inflammation caused by allergies) better than regular salt water. In this small study of 20 patients, people used both types of salt water to rinse their nasal passages, and doctors measured symptom improvement and quality of life. The hydrogen-rich salt water performed better than regular salt water, with no serious side effects reported.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may be more effective than regular saline for nasal allergies, though the study included only 20 patients and lacked details about study duration. Larger and longer studies would be needed to confirm these results and determine whether this approach offers practical benefits for allergic rhinitis management.
Abstract (excerpt)
Objective:To investigate the effectiveness and safety of nasal lavage with hydrogen-rich saline in the treatment of moderate to severe allergic rhinitis.Method:Twenty patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis were treated with normal saline and hydrogen-rich saline lavage…