Hydrogen Gas Medicine Shows Promise for Multiple Health Conditions
- Authors
- Yuh Fukai
- Journal
- Molecular Hydrogen for Medicine: The Art of Ancient Life Revived
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-981-15-7157-2_2
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Parkinson's Disease
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Scientists found that a simple gas called molecular hydrogen might help treat tons of different diseases—from heart attacks and strokes to diabetes and even COVID-19—because it reduces harmful inflammation in the body, though they need more research to be totally sure it works.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen has shown potential therapeutic effects across a wide range of conditions in both animal models and human trials, suggesting it may work as a selective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Summary
This review summarizes research on molecular hydrogen (a gas that may act as an antioxidant, meaning it could help neutralize harmful molecules in the body) across numerous animal studies and human trials, mostly conducted in Japan. The research has explored hydrogen's potential effects on conditions ranging from acute injuries like stroke and heart problems to chronic diseases like diabetes, Parkinson's, and arthritis, with many studies reporting positive results.
Practical Takeaway
While this review indicates broad research interest in hydrogen therapy with many reported positive findings, it is a summary of existing studies rather than a single controlled trial, and the authors acknowledge that further standardized clinical trials are needed to confirm effectiveness and determine optimal treatment approaches. The quality and rigor of individual studies vary, so consumers should be cautious about drawing firm conclusions until more definitive evidence emerges.
Abstract
As research activities progressed, effects of molecular hydrogen (MH) proved to be more extended than previously expected. In parallel with exploratory experiments with animals, human clinical trials have also been performed and yielded positive results in most cases. Here I begin with animal experiments on ischemia-reperfusion injury, peritonitis to sepsis, wound healing, radiation injuries, organ transplantation, metabolic syndrome and lung diseases, and then proceed to describe clinical trials conducted in Japan including recovery from acute erythematous skin disease, cardiac arrest, stroke, brain disorder (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases), diabetes, fatigue and aging, rheumatoid arthritis, blood dialysis, cataract surgery, periodontitis, and finally, recent results from other countries regarding radiation injuries and COVID-19 pneumonia. This is a main chapter of the book.