Hydrogen Water vs Inhalation: Different Effects on Gut Health in Rats
- Authors
- Fei Xie, Xue Jiang, Yang Yi, Zi-Jia Liu, Chen Ma, Jin He, Zhi-ming Xun, Meng Wang, Meng-yu Liu, Yao Mawulikplimi Adzavon, Peng-xiang Zhao, Xue-mei Ma
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41598-022-11091-1
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Gut Health
- Body System
- Digestive System
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water or inhaling hydrogen gas can lead to different changes in body metabolism and gut bacteria, potentially offering health benefits.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water and hydrogen gas inhalation produced distinctly different effects on healthy rats, with water intake primarily changing gut bacteria composition and carbohydrate metabolism, while gas inhalation affected protein-related metabolism and reduced voluntary food intake.
Summary
Researchers gave healthy rats either hydrogen-rich water to drink or hydrogen gas to inhale for an extended period and measured changes in their gut bacteria and blood chemicals. Hydrogen-rich water significantly altered the types and amounts of bacteria in the rats' digestive systems and affected how their bodies process carbohydrates, while hydrogen gas inhalation had different effects—it changed certain blood chemicals related to protein metabolism and reduced how much the rats ate and excreted.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests that how hydrogen is delivered (drinking versus inhaling) may matter significantly for its biological effects. However, because this research was conducted only in animals and did not test health outcomes in humans, it provides early-stage evidence that would need human studies to determine relevance for health-conscious consumers interested in hydrogen water.
Abstract (excerpt)
The potential for preventive and therapeutic applications of H2 have now been confirmed in various disease. However, the effects of H2 on health status have not been fully elucidated. Our previous study reported changes in the body weight and 13 serum biochemical parameters during the six-month…