Hydrogen Water Reduces Heat Stress Damage in Chickens
- Authors
- M.A.K. Azad, M. Kikusato, I. Zulkifli, M. Toyomizu
- Journal
- British Poultry Science
- Year
- 2013
- DOI
- 10.1080/00071668.2013.801067
- Study Type
- Chicken
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Heat Stress
- Body System
- Muscular
TL;DR
Electrolysed reduced water (ERW) helped chickens cope better with heat stress, leading to better growth and less muscle damage from oxidative stress.
Key Finding
Electrolysed reduced water significantly reduced oxidative damage markers in chicken muscle tissue and improved growth performance during heat stress, outperforming plant-based antioxidant supplements.
Summary
Researchers gave broiler chickens either regular water or electrolysed reduced water (water treated with electricity to add extra hydrogen) while exposing them to high heat stress. Chickens drinking the electrolysed reduced water showed better growth, ate more feed, and had less cellular damage (measured by markers of oxidative stress) in their muscles compared to control chickens. Two plant-based supplements tested did not perform as well.
Practical Takeaway
This study was conducted in chickens, not humans, so its relevance to hydrogen water consumption in people is unclear. Early evidence suggests electrolysed reduced water may help protect muscle tissue from heat-related oxidative stress in poultry, but much more research—including human studies—would be needed before drawing any conclusions about health benefits in people.
Abstract
1. The present study was designed to achieve a reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage to skeletal muscle and to improve the performance of broiler chickens exposed to chronic heat stress. 2. Chickens were given a control diet with normal drinking water, or diets supplemented with cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) or grape seed extract (GSE), or a control diet with electrolysed reduced water (ERW) for 19 d after hatch. Thereafter, chickens were exposed to a temperature of either 34°C continuously for a period of 5 d, or maintained at 24°C, on the same diets. 3. The control broilers exposed to 34°C showed decreased weight gain and feed consumption and slightly increased ROS production and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in skeletal muscle. The chickens exposed to 34°C and supplemented with ERW showed significantly improved growth performance and lower ROS production and MDA contents in tissues than control broilers exposed to 34°C. Following heat exposure, CNSL chickens performed better with respect to weight gain and feed consumption, but still showed elevated ROS production and skeletal muscle oxidative damage. GSE chickens did not exhibit improved performance or reduced skeletal muscle oxidative damage. 4. In conclusion, this study suggests that ERW could partially inhibit ROS-induced oxidative damage to skeletal muscle and improve growth performance in broiler chickens under medium-term chronic heat treatment.