Hydrogen Water Shows Promise for Protecting Brain After Head Injuries
- Authors
- Murat Kayabaş, Mustafa Makav, Serdar Yi̇ği̇t, Levent Aras, Levent Şahi̇n, Menekşe Bulut, Duried Alwazeer
- Journal
- Tissue & Cell
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.tice.2025.103076
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Turkey
- Health Condition
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline reduced brain inflammation and cell damage in rats after head trauma.
Key Finding
In rats with head injuries, hydrogen-rich saline reduced inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6) and decreased brain cell damage and death compared to untreated injured rats.
Summary
Researchers gave rats head injuries and then treated some of them with hydrogen-rich saline (salt water containing dissolved hydrogen gas). They measured inflammatory markers (immune system signals) and examined brain tissue under a microscope. The hydrogen-rich saline treatment reduced inflammatory markers and decreased the number of damaged and dying brain cells compared to injured rats that didn't receive the treatment.
Practical Takeaway
This early animal study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help protect the brain after head trauma, but it was conducted only in rats and does not yet indicate how it would work in humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made.
Abstract
Head trauma is one of the main reasons for morbidity and mortality in motor vehicle and work accidents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydrogen on head trauma injury. The study groups were divided into four groups, with six rats in each group as follows: Control or no treatment (group C), Head Trauma Injury (group HI), Hydrogen-rich Saline (group H2), and Head Trauma Injury + hydrogen-rich saline (group HI+H2). Blood and brain tissues, serum, interleukin (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) parameters were analyzed. Histopathologically, hematoxylin-eosin and TUNEL staining were performed on the tissue samples. A significant increase in TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the HI group that decreased when hydrogen-rich saline was applied, i.e., the HI+H2 group. Histopathologically, a decrease in degenerative cells was observed in the treatment group (i.e., HI+H2). TUNEL staining also showed a decrease in the number of stained cells in the HI+H2 group compared to the HI group. It is thought that hydrogen-rich saline treatment may be suggested to alleviate the damage caused by head trauma injury.