Hydrogen Water + Glutathione in Lab Tests Reduced Leukemia Cell Viability
Enhanced induction of mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells due to electrolyzed-reduced water and glutathione
Research hubs: Immune System
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Chia-Fang Tsai, Yu-Wen Hsu, Wen-Kang Chen, Yung-Chyuan Ho, Fung-Jou Lu
- Journal
- Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry
- Year
- 2009
- PMID
- 19202298
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 30 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Taiwan
TL;DR
Water with higher pH and lower oxidation properties, when combined with a molecule called glutathione, can more effectively trigger the self-destruct process in leukemia cells without harming normal cells.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed-reduced water combined with glutathione enhanced cancer cell death in leukemia cells while sparing normal immune cells, suggesting a selective anti-cancer effect in laboratory conditions.
Summary
Researchers tested electrolyzed-reduced water (water with higher pH and lower oxidation potential created through electrolysis) combined with glutathione (an antioxidant compound) on leukemia cancer cells in a laboratory dish. The combination killed leukemia cells more effectively than either treatment alone, while leaving normal immune cells unharmed. The cancer cells died through a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death) involving changes in specific proteins that control cell survival.
Practical Takeaway
This is a laboratory study using cancer cells in a dish, not human testing, so it cannot yet inform real-world health decisions. While the selective effect on cancer cells is scientifically interesting, many promising laboratory findings do not translate to effective treatments in humans. Much more research, including animal studies and eventually human trials, would be needed before any conclusions about hydrogen water's role in cancer treatment could be drawn.
Abstract (excerpt)
Electrolzyed-reduced water (ERW) is a higher pH and lower oxidation-reduction potential water. In the present study, we examined the enhanced effect of ERW in the apoptosis of leukemia cells (HL-60) induced by glutathione (GSH). An enhanced inhibitory effect on the viability of the HL-60 cells was…