Hydrogen Gas Lowers Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Rats
- Authors
- Kazuhisa Sugai, Tomoyoshi Tamura, Motoaki Sano, Shizuka Uemura, Masahiko Fujisawa, Yoshinori Katsumata, Jin Endo, Joe Yoshizawa, Koichiro Homma, Masaru Suzuki, Eiji Kobayashi, Junichi Sasaki, Yoji Hakamata
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41598-020-77349-8
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Hypertension
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas for one hour a day lowered high blood pressure in rats with kidney damage.
Key Finding
Daily one-hour inhalation of hydrogen gas (1.3%) significantly reduced blood pressure in rats with hypertension caused by kidney disease, with effects occurring during both rest and activity.
Summary
Researchers gave rats with high blood pressure caused by kidney disease either hydrogen gas or regular air to breathe for one hour each day. The rats that breathed hydrogen gas showed lower blood pressure compared to the control group. The hydrogen appeared to work by balancing the nervous system—it reduced overactivity in the part that raises blood pressure and increased activity in the part that lowers it.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help lower blood pressure by affecting the nervous system, but it is an early-stage animal study only. Human trials would be needed to determine if these results apply to people with high blood pressure. The study does not tell us whether hydrogen water (a different delivery method) would have similar effects.
Abstract
A recent clinical study demonstrated that haemodialysis with a dialysate containing hydrogen (H2) improves blood pressure control in end-stage kidney disease. Herein, we examined whether H2 has a salutary effect on hypertension in animal models. We subjected 5/6 nephrectomised rats to inhalation of either H2 (1.3% H2 + 21% O2 + 77.7% N2) or control (21% O2 + 79% N2) gas mixture for 1 h per day. H2 significantly suppressed increases in blood pressure after 5/6 nephrectomy. The anti-hypertensive effect of H2 was also confirmed in rats in a stable hypertensive state 3 weeks after nephrectomy. To examine the detailed effects of H2 on hypertension, we used an implanted telemetry system to continuously monitor blood pressure. H2 exerted an anti-hypertensive effect not only during daytime rest, but also during night-time activities. Spectral analysis of blood pressure variability revealed that H2 improved autonomic imbalance, namely by suppressing the overly active sympathetic nervous system and augmenting parasympathetic nervous system activity; these effects co-occurred with the blood pressure-lowering effect. In conclusion, 1-h daily exposure to H2 exerts an anti-hypertensive effect in an animal model of hypertension.