Hydrogen Water Protects Pancreatic Cells from Diabetes-Related Damage
- Authors
- Y. P. Li, K. Teruya, Y. Katakura, S. Kabayama, K. Otsubo, S. Morisawa, Y. Ishii, Z. Gadek, S. Shirahata
- Journal
- ESACT Proceedings
- Year
- 2005
- DOI
- 10.1007/1-4020-3103-3_21
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Body System
- Endocrine
TL;DR
Drinking special types of water with reduced hydrogen, like certain Japanese and German natural waters, may protect the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from damage caused by stress and toxins.
Key Finding
Reduced water protected pancreatic beta cells from alloxan-induced damage by reducing harmful oxygen molecules and preventing cell death, while regular mineral water provided no such protection.
Summary
This laboratory study tested whether reduced water (water treated to contain extra hydrogen) could protect pancreatic beta cells—the cells that produce insulin—from damage caused by a toxic chemical called alloxan. When cells were exposed to alloxan, they showed signs of stress and death. However, when reduced water was added, it reduced the harmful molecules (called reactive oxygen species) and helped the cells survive better. Regular mineral water did not have this protective effect.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage laboratory study in cells, not humans, so it cannot yet tell us whether hydrogen water would help prevent diabetes in people. The findings suggest hydrogen water may have antioxidant properties worth investigating further, but much more research—including human studies—would be needed before any health claims could be made.
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that reactive oxygen species9ROS9and the resulting oxidative stress play an important role in apoptosis. Apoptosis is implicated in pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus. Antioxidants can block or delay apoptosis. We have demonstrated that reduced water (RW) such as hydrogen-rich electrolysed-reduced water (ERW) and natural reduced waters (NRW) like Hita Tenryosui water in Japan and Nordenau water in Germany could scavenge ROS and stimulate glucose intake into muscle and adipocytes. This study investigated the effect of reduced water9RW9on oxygen radicals and apoptosis of pancreatic β -cells by alloxan. Incubation of HIT-T15 cells with alloxan, a diabetogenic compound, resulted in the increased intracellular ROS level, a decrease in viability of cells, the formation of DNA fragmentation and Sub-G1 phase. The generation of ROS, the formation of DNA fragmentation and Sub-G1 phase, the lowering of cell viability by alloxan toxicity can be suppressed by treatment with RW. In contrast, HIT-T15 cells treated with Mineral water were not observed. These results suggest that RW protected pancreatic β-cell from the alloxan-induced apoptosis by preventing the alloxan-derived oxygen radical generation.