Hydrogen Water Improves Blood Flow in Blocked Arteries Study Finds
- Authors
- Jinrong Fu, Jinjing Zou, Cheng Chen, Hongying Li, Lei Wang, Yanli Zhou
- Journal
- Molecular Medicine Reports
- Year
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.3892/mmr.2018.9546
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-saturated water helped mice with a condition similar to human leg artery disease recover better by reducing harmful oxygen-related molecules.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-saturated water improved blood flow recovery and increased new blood vessel formation in mice with experimental peripheral arterial disease, while reducing tissue damage and harmful oxidative stress.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-saturated water could help treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition where reduced blood flow damages limbs. Researchers gave mice with experimentally induced limb ischemia (blocked blood flow) either hydrogen-saturated water or regular water. The hydrogen-treated mice showed better blood flow recovery, less tissue death, and more new blood vessels compared to controls. The researchers found that hydrogen reduced harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species that normally interfere with blood vessel formation.
Practical Takeaway
While this animal study suggests hydrogen water may support blood vessel recovery through antioxidant mechanisms, it is a mouse study and does not yet demonstrate safety or effectiveness in humans with PAD. Anyone with peripheral arterial disease should consult their doctor before considering hydrogen water as a treatment, as clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm these findings.
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) impair neovascularization and perfusion recovery following limb ischemia in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Hydrogen molecules (H2) comprise an antioxidant gas that has been reported to neutralize cytotoxic ROS. The present study investigated whether H2 may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for PAD. H2‑saturated water or dehydrogenized water was supplied to mice with experimental PAD. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging demonstrated that H2‑saturated water improved perfusion recovery, decreased the rate of necrosis, increased the capillary density in the gastrocnemius muscle and increased the artery density in the abductor muscle in the ischemic limbs, at 14 and 21 days post‑hindlimb ischemia. Ischemic muscle tissue was harvested 7 days after experimental PAD for biochemical testing and H2 was observed to reduce the levels of malondialdehyde and increase the levels of cyclic guanine monophosphate (cGMP). In cultured endothelial cells, H2‑saturated culture medium resulted in reduced ROS levels, increased tube formation and increased cGMP levels. In macrophages, H2 decreased cellular ROS levels and promoted M2 polarization. H2‑saturated water increases angiogenesis and arteriogenesis and subsequently improves perfusion recovery in a mouse PAD model via reduction of ROS levels.