Hydrogen Gas Helps Athletes Maintain Better Blood Flow After Intense Training
- Authors
- Yuqi Zhao, Chaoqun Li, Shi Zhou, Zhiguang Xu, Xin Huang, Li Wen
- Journal
- PeerJ
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.7717/peerj.18503
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas seems to help professional athletes recover better from intense exercise by boosting important body chemicals and reducing stress and inflammation.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation before high-intensity exercise preserved nitric oxide levels and reduced markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in professional rugby players.
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas before intense exercise could protect athletes' bodies from damage caused by hard training. Researchers had professional rugby players inhale either hydrogen gas or a placebo (fake treatment) for one week before daily high-intensity workouts. They measured markers of inflammation, oxidative stress (cellular damage from exercise), and nitric oxide (a molecule important for blood vessel function). Players who inhaled hydrogen gas had higher levels of nitric oxide and antioxidants (protective molecules) after exercise, and showed lower markers of inflammation and cellular damage compared to the placebo group.
Practical Takeaway
This small study in elite athletes suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect against exercise-induced damage and support recovery. However, the study was conducted only in professional rugby players, so results may not apply to recreational exercisers or other populations. More research is needed to determine whether these benefits translate to meaningful improvements in athletic performance or recovery in broader groups.
Abstract
Background: Inhalation of hydrogen gas (H2) as an antioxidant supplement may alleviate exercise-induced oxidative damage and protect post-exercise hydrogen peroxide signaling, which may help mediate beneficial exercise adaptation. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of H2 inhalation on plasma nitric oxide (NO) level and its synthesis precursor in professional athletes. Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted with professional male rugby players for 3 weeks. Participants underwent 1 week of H2 supplementation and 1 week of placebo treatment prior to daily sessions of high-intensity exercise training, separated by 1 week of low-intensity training as a washout. Results: Two-way (supplementation and time) repeated-measures analyses of variance showed that NO, L-arginine, and tetrahydrobiopterin levels in the H2 inhalation group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group after exercise (D6) and remained higher after 24 h of rest (D7). Levels of hydroxydeoxyguanosine and interleukin 6 were lower in the H2 inhalation week than in the placebo week on D6 and D7. In addition, total antioxidant levels were significantly higher with H2 inhalation than with placebo. Significance: These results suggest that H2 inhalation helps to maintain NO signaling after exercise and to alleviate inflammation and oxidative stress induced by high-intensity exercise training in professional athletes.