Hydrogen Therapy Protects Brain Function in Sepsis by Healing Gut Bacteria
Effect of molecular hydrogen treatment on <scp>Sepsis‐Associated</scp> encephalopathy in mice based on gut microbiota
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System · Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Qingqing Han, Yuanyuan Bai, Chunjing Zhou, Beibei Dong, Yingning Li, Ning Luo, Hongguang Chen, Yonghao Yu
- Journal
- CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics
- Year
- 2022
- PMID
- 36468415
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 2% hydrogen gas inhalation and hydrogen-rich water
- H₂ concentration
- 2%
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 25 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing hydrogen gas or drinking hydrogen-rich water helps improve brain function and reduces inflammation in mice with a brain condition linked to severe infection by positively affecting gut bacteria and body metabolism.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen treatment significantly improved brain function and reduced inflammation in mice with sepsis-associated encephalopathy, partly by restoring a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
Summary
Researchers gave mice with sepsis-associated encephalopathy (a brain condition that occurs in severe infections) either hydrogen gas to breathe or hydrogen-rich water to drink. They found that both forms of molecular hydrogen reduced inflammation in the brain and gut, restored healthy bacteria in the intestines, and improved the mice's neurological function. The study suggests that hydrogen may work by increasing beneficial gut bacteria while reducing harmful ones.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage mouse study suggesting hydrogen may help protect the brain during severe infections by supporting gut health and reducing inflammation. However, this research cannot yet be applied to humans—much more testing would be needed to determine if these effects occur in people with sepsis. The study does not provide evidence that hydrogen water would help anyone currently experiencing an infection.
Abstract (excerpt)
AbstractIntroductionIn our experiments, male wild‐type mice were randomly divided into four groups: the sham, SAE, SAE + 2% hydrogen gas inhalation (H2), and SAE + hydrogen‐rich water (HW) groups. The feces of the mice were collected for 16 S rDNA analysis 24 h after the models were established…