Hydrogen Water Protects Heart from Damage During Heart Attacks
- Authors
- Liangtong Li, Xiangzi Li, Zhe Zhang, Li Liu, Tongtong Liu, Shaochun Li, Sen Liu, Yujuan Zhou, Fulin Liu
- Journal
- Current Molecular Medicine
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.2174/1566524019666191105150709
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help reduce heart damage after a heart attack by activating a protective signaling pathway in the body.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water activated a protective cellular signaling pathway (PI3K/AKT) and significantly reduced cell death markers in rat hearts experiencing ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Summary
Researchers studied whether hydrogen-rich water could protect rat hearts from damage caused by temporarily blocking and then restoring blood flow (a condition called ischemia-reperfusion injury). They perfused isolated rat hearts with either regular solution or solution containing hydrogen-rich water, then subjected them to a period of blocked blood flow followed by restored blood flow. The hydrogen-rich water activated a protective cellular pathway (PI3K/AKT) and reduced markers of cell death in heart tissue compared to the control group.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study using isolated rat hearts in a laboratory setting, so results cannot yet be applied to humans. While the findings suggest hydrogen-rich water may have potential cardioprotective effects, human clinical trials would be needed to determine if these benefits translate to people experiencing heart-related conditions.
Abstract
Background: The effects of hydrogen-rich water on PI3K/AKT-mediated apoptosis were studied in rats subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). Methdos: Sixty rats were divided randomly into a hydrogen-rich water group and a control group. The hearts were removed and fixed in a Langendorff device. Hearts from the control group were perfused with K-R solution, and hearts from the hydrogen-rich water group was perfused with K-R solution + hydrogen-rich water. The two treatment groups were then divided randomly into pre-ischemic period, ischemic period and reperfusion period groups(10 rats per group), which were subjected to reverse perfusion for 10 min, normal treatment for 20 min, and reperfusion for 20 min, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, FoxO1, Bim and Caspase-3 in each group were detected by RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting. Caspase-3 activity was detected by spectrophotometry. Results: Among the hydrogen-rich water group, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was significantly activated, and FoxO1, Bim, and Caspase-3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased in ischemia-reperfusion subgroup compared with the preischemic and ischemic subgroups. In the ischemia-reperfusion hydrogen-rich water group, PI3K, AKT and p-AKT mRNA and protein expression levels were increased while the FoxO1, Bim and Caspase-3 expression levels were significantly decreased compared with those in the corresponding control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hydrogen-rich water can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, alleviate ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts, and inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis.