Hydrogen Water Protects Vision in Mice with Genetic Eye Disease

Summary by Hydrogen Studies Editorial Team · Updated

Authors
Journal
Scientific Reports
Year
DOI
10.1038/s41598-022-17903-8
Study Type
Mouse
Outcome
Positive
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
Japan
Health Condition
Retinitis Pigmentosa
Body System
Visual

TL;DR

Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help delay eye damage in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease with no current treatment.

Key Finding

Mice that drank hydrogen-enriched water showed significantly thicker retinas, preserved light-sensing cells, and increased expression of genes related to vision compared to untreated controls.

Summary

Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited eye disease that causes progressive vision loss with no current treatment. Researchers gave hydrogen-enriched water to mice with a form of this disease and found that the mice had thicker retinas, better-preserved light-sensing cells, and increased activity of genes involved in vision compared to control mice. This suggests hydrogen water may help protect against photoreceptor (light-sensing cell) death.

Practical Takeaway

This is early, animal-only research showing hydrogen water may have protective effects on retinal cells. While the findings are promising for a disease with no current treatment, much more research—including human studies—would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made. The study duration and exact dosing details were not reported, limiting what can be concluded about practical application.

Abstract (excerpt)

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetically heterogeneous group of inherited retinal disorders involving the progressive dysfunction of photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium, for which there is currently no treatment. The rd6 mouse is a natural model of autosomal recessive retinal…

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