Hydrogen Gas Was Linked to Enhanced Immune Cell Activity in Mice With Asthma
Hydrogen gas inhalation enhances alveolar macrophage phagocytosis in an ovalbumin-induced asthma model
Research hubs: Respiratory System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Peikai Huang, Shushan Wei, Weihua Huang, Penghui Wu, Shuyu Chen, Ailin Tao, Hongyu Wang, Zhenyu Liang, Rongchang Chen, Jie Yan, Qingling Zhang
- Journal
- International Immunopharmacology
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31200337
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2 hours once, twice a day for 7 consecutive days
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 44 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas improved the ability of lung-cleaning cells to remove bacteria and reduced asthma symptoms in mice with asthma.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation restored the ability of immune cells in asthmatic mice to clear bacteria from the lungs, reversing a key defect seen in asthma.
Summary
In this mouse study, researchers tested whether breathing hydrogen gas could help restore a specific immune function that is impaired in asthma. They found that mice with asthma-like symptoms had weaker immune cells (called alveolar macrophages) that were less able to clear bacteria from the lungs. When these mice breathed hydrogen gas twice daily for a week, their immune cells regained the ability to fight bacteria more effectively, and their asthma symptoms improved—likely because hydrogen reduced harmful oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) in their lungs.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen gas may help restore immune function in asthma by reducing oxidative stress. However, these results are from mice, not humans, so it is unclear whether the same benefits would occur in people with asthma. Further research in human subjects would be needed before hydrogen gas could be considered a viable asthma treatment.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Maintaining an airway clear of bacteria, foreign particles and apoptotic cells by alveolar macrophages is very essential for lung homeostasis. In asthma, the phagocytic capacity of alveolar macrophages is significantly reduced, which is thought to be associated with increased oxidative…