How does molecular hydrogen work in the body?

Molecular hydrogen works by directly neutralizing harmful hydroxyl radicals and stopping damaging chain reactions in cells. This process modulates key cellular pathways that control inflammation, antioxidant responses, and cell survival.

What did this study discover about hydrogen therapy?

The study identified the exact mechanisms behind hydrogen's therapeutic effects, showing it targets hydroxyl radicals and affects transcription factors NFAT and CREB. This explains why hydrogen therapy shows benefits across multiple health conditions.

Can hydrogen therapy help with inflammation?

Yes, the research shows hydrogen has anti-inflammatory effects by modulating cellular pathways controlled by transcription factors. It suppresses inflammatory signaling while promoting antioxidant responses in cells.

Is molecular hydrogen safe for therapeutic use?

The research indicates hydrogen is safe because it doesn't readily react with most normal cellular components. It specifically targets harmful radicals while leaving beneficial cellular processes intact.

What conditions might benefit from hydrogen therapy?

The study suggests potential applications for COVID-19, Alzheimer's disease, and advanced cancer based on hydrogen's effects on cellular pathways. However, more clinical research is needed to confirm these therapeutic applications.

How Hydrogen Therapy Works: New Research Reveals Multiple Health Benefits

Authors: Shigeo Ohta
Journal: Current Pharmaceutical Design
Year: 2020
DOI: 10.2174/1381612826666200806101137
Study Type: clinical
Peer Reviewed: Yes
Country: Japan
Health Condition: COVID-19
Body System: Cellular

TL;DR

Scientists found that breathing in or consuming molecular hydrogen (H2) can help your body fight damage from harmful molecules called free radicals, which is like having a tiny repair crew that fixes oxidative stress damage in your cells. This discovery is important because it could lead to new treatments for serious diseases like COVID-19, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Key Finding

Molecular hydrogen appears to exert its multiple protective effects primarily by directly reacting with hydroxyl radicals and subsequently blocking harmful free radical chain reactions, which then modulates key cellular control switches involved in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cellular recycling processes.

Summary

This review examines how molecular hydrogen (H2) works in the body at a molecular level. Researchers found that H2 primarily acts by neutralizing harmful molecules called hydroxyl radicals, which trigger damaging chain reactions in cells. This action then reduces inflammation, regulates cell death and recycling processes, and boosts energy production. The review proposes that H2's effects stem from its ability to interrupt these damaging chain reactions and influence key cellular control switches (transcription factors) that govern protective processes.

Practical Takeaway

This is a theoretical review that synthesizes existing research rather than reporting new experimental results, and it does not include human trials. While it proposes plausible mechanisms for how hydrogen water might work in the body, these mechanisms remain largely unproven in humans. Anyone interested in hydrogen water should recognize that this review identifies promising research directions but does not provide evidence that hydrogen water delivers these benefits in real-world use.

Abstract

Molecular hydrogen (H2 ) was long regarded as non-functional in mammalian cells. We overturned the concept by demonstrating that H2 exhibits antioxidant effects and protects cells against oxidative stress. Subsequently, it has been revealed that H2 has multiple functions in addition to antioxidant effects, including ant-inflammatory, anti-allergic functions, and as a cell death and autophagy regulation. Additionally, H2 stimulates energy metabolism. Because H2 does not readily react with most biomolecules without a catalyst, it is essential to identify the primary targets with which H2 reacts or interacts directly. As a first event, H2 may react directly with strong oxidants such as hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in vivo. This review addresses the key issues related to this in vivo reaction. •OH may have a physiological role because it triggers a free radical chain reaction and may be involved in the regulation of Ca2+ - or mitochondrial ATP-dependent K+ - channeling. In the subsequent pathway, H2 suppressed a free radical chain reaction, leading to decreases in lipid peroxide and its end products. Derived from the peroxides, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal functions as a mediator that up-regulates multiple functional PGC-1α. As the other direct target in vitro and in vivo, H2 intervenes in the free radical chain reaction to modify oxidized phospholipids, which may act as an antagonist of Ca2+ -channels. The resulting suppression of Ca2+ - signaling inactivates multiple functional NFAT and CREB transcription factors, which may explain H2 multifunctionality. This review also addresses the involvement of NFAT in the beneficial role of H2 in COVID-19, Alzheimer's disease and advanced cancer. We discuss some unsolved issues of H2 action on lipopolysaccharide signaling, MAPK and NF-κB pathways and the Nrf2 paradox. Finally, as a novel idea for the direct targeting of H2 , this review introduces the possibility that H2 causes structural changes in proteins via hydrate water changes.