Hydrogen Water Protects Bones and Organs at High Altitude in Mice
- Authors
- Suying Zhu, Doudou Hao, Yanli Chen, Zhiyou Shi, Yang Zhong, Fengying Zhang, Feng Tang, Suyuan Wang, Yunhong Wu
- Journal
- Bone
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bone.2025.117718
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Osteoporosis
- Body System
- Skeletal
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich water and coral calcium hydride protect against high-altitude hypoxia-induced bone loss and organ damage in mice by restoring gut microbiota balance and reducing systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, acting via the gut–bone axis.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water significantly reduced bone loss and organ damage in mice exposed to chronic high-altitude hypoxia, apparently by restoring healthy gut bacteria and reducing inflammation rather than by directly affecting hypoxia-related genes.
Summary
Researchers exposed mice to low-oxygen conditions simulating high altitude (5,500 meters) for 4 months to study bone loss. Mice that drank hydrogen-rich water showed less bone deterioration and less damage to organs like the liver, lungs, and kidneys compared to untreated mice. The protective effect appeared to work by improving the balance of bacteria in the gut and reducing inflammation, rather than by directly changing bone-related genes.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage animal study suggests hydrogen water may help protect bones and organs under extreme low-oxygen stress, but these findings are from mice only and cannot yet be applied to humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before drawing any conclusions about hydrogen water's effects on bone health in people at high altitude or in other conditions.
Abstract
High-altitude hypoxia disrupts bone metabolic homeostasis and accelerates bone loss. However, effective strategies for preventing and treating hypoxia-induced osteoporosis remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) and coral calcium hydride (CCH) against bone degeneration and multi-organ injury in a mouse model of chronic hypoxic exposure. Mice exposed to a hypoxic environment simulating 5500 m altitude for 4 months showed progressive bone deterioration from prolonged hypoxic exposure, which was significantly ameliorated by HRW intervention. Hydrogen intervention also markedly attenuated hypoxia-induced inflammation and damage in multiple organs such as the liver, lungs, kidneys, and colon. Hypoxia exposure led to changes in the diversity of gut microbiota, along with a decrease in the abundance of aerobic bacteria and beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus), while hydrogen intervention could partially reverse this dysbiosis. At the molecular level, hypoxia significantly up-regulated the expression of HIF-1α, RANKL, and TRAP in bone tissue, and suppressed Nrf2 protein levels. However, hydrogen intervention did not directly alter the expression of these molecules. Hydrogen intervention may exert a bone-protective effect through the "gut-bone axis" by regulating the homeostasis of gut microbiota and alleviating systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, rather than directly acting on the classical hypoxia signaling pathway. Therefore, hydrogen intervention is a potential strategy to alleviate chronic hypoxia-induced bone loss and multi-organ damage by regulating gut microbiota homeostasis, which provides new insights and directions for the prevention and treatment of high-altitude bone-related diseases.