Hydrogen Water Speeds Brain Healing After Head Injury in Rats
Effect of hydrogen-rich water on the CD34 expression in lesion boundary brain tissue of rats with traumatic brain injury
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System · Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Ying Liu, Qin Lan, Difen Wang, Xianjun Chen, Jia Yuan, Hailing Zhang
- Journal
- Chinese Critical Care Medicine
- Year
- 2017
- PMID
- 28627348
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 54
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 5 mL/kg intraperitoneal injection once daily
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 1 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich water helps improve healing and blood vessel growth in rats with brain injuries.
Key Finding
Rats with traumatic brain injury that received hydrogen-rich water showed significantly better neurological recovery, reduced brain swelling, and increased new blood vessel formation compared to untreated injured rats.
Summary
Researchers gave rats with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) hydrogen-rich water or regular saline and tracked their recovery over 7 days. Rats receiving hydrogen-rich water showed better neurological scores, less brain swelling, and more new blood vessel growth in the injured tissue compared to untreated rats. The study suggests hydrogen-rich water may help the body's natural repair processes after brain injury.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study provides early evidence that hydrogen-rich water may support the body's natural healing response to brain injury by promoting blood vessel growth. However, this is an animal-only study, and results in rats do not automatically translate to humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
Objective: To observe the effect of hydrogen-rich water on the CD34 expression and angiogenesis in lesion boundary brain tissue of rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: A total of 54 adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups by random number table: namely…