Hydrogen Water and Brain Function After Radiation in Rats
Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Radiation-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Rats
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 (rat)
- Authors
- Mengya Liu, Hui Yuan, Jingjing Yin, Ruoqi Wang, Jianbo Song, Bo Hu, Jianguo Li, Xiujun Qin
- Journal
- Radiation Research
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31634054
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- HRW administered 10 min prior to irradiation, then daily for 30 consecutive days
- H₂ concentration
- 0.8-0.9 ppm
- Duration
- 30 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 17 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) appears to protect rats' brains from the negative effects of radiation, improving their memory and brain health.
Key Finding
In rats exposed to high-dose brain radiation, hydrogen-rich water treatment improved memory performance and reduced markers of cellular damage in the brain.
Summary
Researchers gave rats a high dose of brain radiation to damage their memory and thinking abilities, then treated some rats with hydrogen-rich water (water containing extra hydrogen gas) before and after radiation. Rats that received hydrogen-rich water performed better on memory tests and showed signs of less cellular damage and better brain cell growth compared to rats that only received regular water.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen-rich water may protect against radiation-related cognitive damage, but this is early-stage animal research. Much more work—including human clinical trials—would be needed before any conclusions could be drawn about its usefulness for people undergoing radiation therapy. The findings are interesting but not yet applicable to human health decisions.
Abstract (excerpt)
The goal of this work was to determine whether hydrogen-rich water (HRW) could attenuate radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction in rats and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Rats received 30 Gy whole-brain irradiation using a 6-MeV electron beam. Either purified water or HRW (0.8-0.9 ppm) was…