Hydrogen Gas Reduces Brain Damage After Stroke by Lowering Lactic Acid
- Authors
- Zheng Peng, Xiao-Jian Li, Cong Pang, Jia-Tong Zhang, Qi Zhu, Jia-Qing Sun, Juan Wang, Bo-Qiang Cao, Yu-Hua Zhang, Yue Lu, Wei Li, Chun-Hua Hang, Zong Zhuang
- Journal
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.04.072
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can help reduce harmful lactic acid buildup in the brain after bleeding, possibly through a specific pathway involving a protein called HIF-1α.
Key Finding
Inhaled hydrogen reduced lactic acid accumulation in the nervous system of subarachnoid hemorrhage patients by suppressing the HIF-1α molecular pathway.
Summary
Researchers studied how inhaled hydrogen gas helps patients recovering from subarachnoid hemorrhage (a type of brain bleeding). They found that hydrogen reduced the buildup of lactic acid in the nervous system by affecting a molecular pathway called HIF-1α. Lab and animal experiments confirmed that hydrogen works by suppressing this pathway, which normally increases when the brain lacks oxygen.
Practical Takeaway
This study provides early evidence that hydrogen inhalation may help protect the brain after certain types of bleeding by reducing harmful lactic acid buildup. However, this research involved a specific medical condition (subarachnoid hemorrhage) and included both human and animal studies; more research is needed to understand whether these benefits apply to other conditions or to healthy people using hydrogen water.
Abstract
The neuroprotective effects of hydrogen have been demonstrated, but the mechanism is still poorly understood. In a clinical trial of inhaled hydrogen in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), we found that hydrogen reduced the accumulation of lactic acid in the nervous system. There are no studies demonstrating the regulatory effect of hydrogen on lactate and in this study we hope to further clarify the mechanism by which hydrogen regulates lactate metabolism. In cell experiments, PCR and Western Blot showed that HIF-1α was the target related to lactic acid metabolism that changed the most before and after hydrogen intervention. HIF-1α levels were suppressed by hydrogen intervention treatment. Activation of HIF-1α inhibited the lactic acid-lowering effect of hydrogen. We have also demonstrated the lactic acid-lowering effect of hydrogen in animal studies. Our work clarifies that hydrogen can regulate lactate metabolism via the HIF-1αpathway, providing new insights into the neuroprotective mechanisms of hydrogen.