Hydrogen Water Reduced Memory Loss in Aging Mice
Drinking hydrogen water ameliorated cognitive impairment in senescence-accelerated mice
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Yeunhwa Gu, Chien-Sheng Huang, Tota Inoue, Takenori Yamashita, Torao Ishida, Ki-Mun Kang, Atsunori Nakao
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition
- Year
- 2010
- PMID
- 20490324
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water (Mg-Chemico)
- Dose
- drinking hydrogen water for 30 days and 18 weeks
- Duration
- 4 months
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 69 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help prevent memory decline and brain aging in mice.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water prevented age-related memory decline and reduced nerve cell death in the hippocampus of rapidly aging mice, with improvements linked to increased serotonin levels and enhanced antioxidant activity.
Summary
Researchers gave hydrogen water to mice bred to age rapidly and develop memory problems early in life. After drinking hydrogen water for 30 days, these mice performed better on memory tests and showed higher levels of serotonin (a brain chemical) and stronger antioxidant activity (the body's natural defense against cellular damage). When examined after 18 weeks, mice drinking hydrogen water had less nerve cell death in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is important for memory, compared to mice drinking regular water.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen water may have protective effects on aging-related memory problems, but results from mice do not directly translate to humans. Much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before hydrogen water could be recommended for cognitive health in older adults.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hydrogen has been reported to have neuron protective effects due to its antioxidant properties, but the effects of hydrogen on cognitive impairment due to senescence-related brain alterations and the underlying mechanisms have not been characterized. In this study, we investigated the efficacies…