Hydrogen Therapy Reduces Heart Disease Risk in Mice Study
- Authors
- Guohua Song, Hua Tian, Shucun Qin, Xuejun Sun, Shutong Yao, Chuanlong Zong, Yingying Luo, Jia Liu, Yang Yu, Hui Sang, Xinnong Wang
- Journal
- Atherosclerosis
- Year
- 2012
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2011.11.043
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Atherosclerosis
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Hydrogen treatment reduces bad cholesterol and inflammation, while improving good cholesterol function, which may help prevent hardening of the arteries.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-saturated saline injections reduced cholesterol levels, inflammatory markers, and arterial fatty deposits in mice genetically susceptible to atherosclerosis.
Summary
Researchers gave mice genetically prone to atherosclerosis (a disease involving fatty buildup in arteries) injections of hydrogen-saturated saline for eight weeks. The treatment reduced cholesterol levels, decreased harmful inflammatory molecules, and reduced fatty deposits in the arteries. The study suggests hydrogen may work by improving how the body removes cholesterol and reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules).
Practical Takeaway
This mouse study provides early evidence that hydrogen may have anti-atherosclerotic properties, but it cannot yet inform human health recommendations. The findings are limited to a specific mouse model and used injected hydrogen rather than drinking hydrogen water. Human studies would be needed to determine whether these effects apply to people and whether drinking hydrogen water offers similar benefits.
Abstract
It is to characterize the underlying molecular mechanisms of the anti-atherosclerotic effects of hydrogen (dihydrogen; H(2)), a novel antioxidant. In particular, to examine the effects of hydrogen on athero-susceptibility in lipoproteins and aorta of apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE-/-) mice. Plasma analysis by enzymatic method and spectrophotometric measurement showed that eight weeks intraperitoneally injection of hydrogen-saturated saline remarkably decreased plasma total and non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol, and malondialdehyde in apoE-/- mice fed either chow or high fat diet. Western blot analysis showed hydrogen treatment reduced the contents of apolipoprotein B (apoB), a major protein constituent of non-HDL in either plasma or hepatic tissues. Moreover, ELISA assay revealed that the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 were significantly suppressed by hydrogen in RAW264.7 macrophages, after stimulation with the isolated non-HDL from treated or untreated mice. Immunohistochemistry of aortic valve sections revealed that hydrogen suppressed the expression of several proinflammatory factors and decreased vessel wall infiltration of macrophages. Besides, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis disclosed that hepatic scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters ABCG8, ABCB4, ABCB11, and macrophage SR-BI, were all induced by hydrogen treatment. Finally arterial wall lipid disposition displayed by oil red O staining was reduced significantly in aortic root and whole aorta en face in hydrogen administrated mice. In addition, hydrogen significantly improved HDL functionality in C57BL/6J mice assessed in two independent ways, namely (i) stimulation of cholesterol efflux from macrophage foam cells by measuring HDL-induced [(3)H]cholesterol efflux, and (ii) protection against LDL oxidation as a measure of Cu(2+)-induced TBARS formation. These results reveal that administration of hydrogen-saturated saline decreases athero-susceptibility in apoB-containing lipoprotein and aortic atherosclerosis in apoE-/- mice and improves HDL functionality in C57BL/6J mice.