Hydrogen Gas Improves Gut Health in Ulcerative Colitis Patients
Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Improved Intestinal Microbiota in Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial
Research hubs: Digestive System
- Evidence type
- Randomized controlled trial · Human study
- Authors
- Takafumi Maruyama, Dai Ishikawa, Rina Kurokawa, Hiroaki Masuoka, Kei Nomura, Mayuko Haraikawa, Masayuki Orikasa, Rina Odakura, Masao Koma, Masashi Omori, Hirotaka Ishino, Kentaro Ito, Tomoyoshi Shibuya, Wataru Suda, Akihito Nagahara
- Journal
- Biomedicines
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3390/biomedicines13081799
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Body System
- Gastrointestinal
TL;DR
Breathing hydrogen gas daily may improve gut bacteria diversity in people with ulcerative colitis, though clear symptom relief wasn’t seen in this small study.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation increased intestinal microbiota diversity and caused significant changes in gut bacteria composition and function in ulcerative colitis patients, but did not produce clear improvements in disease symptoms.
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas could help patients with ulcerative colitis (a chronic intestinal disease involving inflammation and dysbiosis, or imbalanced gut bacteria). Researchers had 10 patients with active ulcerative colitis inhale either hydrogen gas or placebo air for 4 hours daily for 8 weeks. The hydrogen group showed improved diversity of gut bacteria and changes in genetic function, with no safety concerns, but the treatment did not clearly reduce ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Practical Takeaway
This early human trial suggests hydrogen inhalation is safe and may alter gut bacteria in ways that could be beneficial, but it did not improve ulcerative colitis symptoms on its own. The small sample size and lack of symptom improvement mean much more research is needed before hydrogen can be recommended as a standalone treatment. The authors suggest it might eventually work better when combined with other microbiome therapies.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background/Objective: Dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Hydrogen has been reported to promote intestinal microbiota diversity and suppress ulcerative colitis progression in mice models. In this study, we investigated changes in the intestinal microbiota, therapeutic…