Hydrogen Gas Shows Promise for Knee Arthritis Pain Relief in Seniors
Hydrogen-oxygen mixture inhalation as an adjunctive treatment to home-based exercise in older patients with knee osteoarthritis: an open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomized controlled trial
Research hubs: Musculoskeletal System
- Evidence type
- Randomized controlled trial · Human study
- Authors
- Chenhui Wang, Mengwei Yan, Yuru Li, Lei Han, Hongqian Wang, Shufeng Jia, Xingchen Liu, Yang Liu, Fan Wu, Baoguo Wang
- Journal
- Frontiers in Pharmacology
- Year
- 2025
- PMID
- 39950118
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 121
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 60 min per day for 2 weeks
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Funding
- National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC2000704)
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 4 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in a mix of hydrogen and oxygen gas slightly improved knee arthritis symptoms and function in the short term for elderly patients doing home exercises, but the benefits didn't last.
Key Finding
While hydrogen-oxygen inhalation provided short-term symptom relief during the first 2 weeks, it did not produce sustained benefits or outperform home-based exercise alone over the full 12-week study period.
Summary
This study tested whether breathing a hydrogen-oxygen mixture could help older adults with knee osteoarthritis (a condition where joint cartilage breaks down) when combined with home exercise. Researchers divided 121 elderly patients into two groups: one that did home exercises plus 60 minutes daily of hydrogen-oxygen inhalation for 2 weeks, and another that did home exercises alone for 12 weeks. Both groups improved significantly in pain and function, but the hydrogen-oxygen group did not show better results than exercise alone, and any benefits from the gas treatment faded after the initial 2 weeks.
Practical Takeaway
This small study in elderly patients suggests hydrogen-oxygen inhalation may offer temporary relief from knee osteoarthritis symptoms, but the effect appears to be short-lived and not superior to exercise. The most significant improvement came from the home exercise program itself, which both groups completed. Anyone considering hydrogen-oxygen therapy should prioritize consistent exercise and discuss this with their healthcare provider, as the evidence for long-term benefit remains limited.
Abstract (excerpt)
ObjectiveKnee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a degenerative joint condition, leading to disability and diminished quality of life. Molecular hydrogen has been proven to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but few studies have investigated its effects on osteoarthritis. Our study aims…