Hydrogen Shows Promise as New Treatment for Kidney Disease
Hydrogen: A Novel Treatment Strategy in Kidney Disease
- Evidence type
- Review or commentary
- Authors
- Bo Wang, Zhuoshu Li, Longfei Mao, Mingyi Zhao, Bingchang Yang, Xiaowu Tao, Yuxiang Li, Guangming Yin
- Journal
- Kidney Diseases
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1159/000520981
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Kidney Disease
- Body System
- Renal System
TL;DR
Scientists found that hydrogen gas might help treat kidney disease because it can fight harmful chemicals in the body that damage cells, but we need more real-world testing on actual patients before doctors can start using it as a treatment.
Key Finding
Hydrogen selectively neutralizes certain harmful reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite) while preserving beneficial ones, and shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell-protective effects in laboratory and animal studies of kidney disease.
Summary
This article reviews research on hydrogen as a potential treatment for kidney disease. Scientists have found that hydrogen may help protect kidney cells by reducing harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and by decreasing inflammation and cell damage. However, most studies so far have only been done in cells and animals—there are very few human studies, so it's too early to know if hydrogen will actually work as a kidney disease treatment in people.
Practical Takeaway
While early laboratory evidence suggests hydrogen may have protective effects on kidney cells, this is a review article summarizing mostly animal and cell studies—not human trials. Large-scale clinical trials in humans are needed before hydrogen can be recommended as a kidney disease treatment. The optimal dose, delivery method, and timing remain unknown.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Hydrogen is a chemical substance that has yet to be widely used in medicine. However, recent evidence indicates that hydrogen has multi-faceted pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. An increased number of studies are being…