Hydrogen Gas Reduces Neurovascular Dysfunction After Birth Asphyxia in Piglets
Delayed Neurovascular Dysfunction Is Alleviated by Hydrogen in Asphyxiated Newborn Pigs
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System · Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- Orsolya Oláh, Valéria Tóth-Szűki, Péter Temesvári, Ferenc Bari, Ferenc Domoki
- Journal
- Neonatology
- Year
- 2013
- PMID
- 23859876
- Study Type
- Pig
- Participants
- 27
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2.1% H2 for 4 h during reventilation after 8 min asphyxia
- H₂ concentration
- 2.1% H2 gas
- Duration
- 1 day or less
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 24 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Hungary
TL;DR
Inhaling hydrogen gas can help protect the brain's blood vessels and improve brain function in newborn pigs after a mild lack of oxygen and blood flow.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas treatment preserved the brain's blood vessel function 24 hours after oxygen deprivation in newborn pigs, whereas untreated animals showed significant impairment in how their blood vessels responded to key stimuli.
Summary
This study examined whether hydrogen gas could protect the brain's blood vessels and nerve cells after a severe lack of oxygen in newborn pigs. Researchers induced asphyxia (oxygen deprivation) in piglets and then treated some with hydrogen gas while others received regular air. Twenty-four hours later, they tested how well the brain's blood vessels responded to different stimuli. The piglets treated with hydrogen showed better preservation of normal blood vessel responses and modest protection against brain cell damage compared to untreated animals.
Practical Takeaway
This animal study suggests hydrogen gas may help protect the developing brain after birth asphyxia by maintaining proper blood vessel function. However, this research was conducted only in pigs, and human studies would be needed to determine if these findings apply to newborn infants. The modest neuroprotective effects observed warrant further investigation before any clinical applications could be considered.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: The neurovascular unit encompasses the functional interactions of cerebrovascular and brain parenchymal cells necessary for the metabolic homeostasis of neurons. Previous studies indicated marked but only transient (1-4 h) reactive oxygen species-dependent neurovascular dysfunction…