Hydrogen Gas Shows Promise for Treating COVID-19 Inflammation
- Authors
- Duried Alwazeer, Franky Fuh-Ching Liu, Xiao Yu Wu, Tyler W. LeBaron
- Journal
- Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1155/2021/5513868
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Turkey
- Health Condition
- COVID-19
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Scientists think a special gas called molecular hydrogen might help COVID-19 patients because it can reduce dangerous inflammation and damage inside their cells, though more research is needed to prove it actually works in real patients.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen may combat COVID-19 complications by suppressing inflammatory signaling (NF-κB pathway) and activating the body's antioxidant defense system (Nrf2/Keap1 pathway), though clinical evidence remains limited.
Summary
This article reviews how molecular hydrogen (H2)—a simple gas molecule—might help treat COVID-19 by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules). The authors explain that H2 can enter cells easily and activate the body's natural antioxidant defenses while reducing inflammatory signaling. While early studies suggest H2 may be beneficial, the authors note that more rigorous clinical research is needed to confirm whether it actually works in COVID-19 patients.
Practical Takeaway
This is a review article summarizing existing research rather than a new clinical study, and it does not report actual patient results. While the mechanisms described are based on laboratory and some clinical research, the authors explicitly state that H2's true clinical effectiveness in COVID-19 has not yet been established and requires further testing. Anyone considering H2 therapy should consult their healthcare provider, as evidence specific to COVID-19 treatment is still preliminary.
Abstract
COVID-19 is a widespread global pandemic with nearly 185 million confirmed cases and about four million deaths. It is caused by an infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which primarily affects the alveolar type II pneumocytes. The infection induces pathological responses including increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This situation results in impaired gas exchange, hypoxia, and other sequelae that lead to multisystem organ failure and death. As summarized in this article, many interventions and therapeutics have been proposed and investigated to combat the viral infection-induced inflammation and oxidative stress that contributes to the etiology and pathogenesis of COVID-19. However, these methods have not significantly improved treatment outcomes. This may partly be attributable to their inability at restoring redox and inflammatory homeostasis, for which molecular hydrogen (H2), an emerging novel medical gas, may complement. Herein, we systematically review the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic mechanisms of H2. Its small molecular size and nonpolarity allow H2 to rapidly diffuse through cell membranes and penetrate cellular organelles. H2 has been demonstrated to suppress NF-κB inflammatory signaling and induce the Nrf2/Keap1 antioxidant pathway, as well as to improve mitochondrial function and enhance cellular bioenergetics. Many preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of H2 in varying diseases, including COVID-19. However, the exact mechanisms, primary modes of action, and its true clinical effects remain to be delineated and verified. Accordingly, additional mechanistic and clinical research into this novel medical gas to combat COVID-19 complications is warranted.