Hydrogen Gas Protects Inner Ear Cells from Damage
- Authors
- Akiko Taura, Yayoi S Kikkawa, Takayuki Nakagawa, Juichi Ito
- Journal
- Acta Oto-Laryngologica
- Year
- 2010
- DOI
- 10.3109/00016489.2010.486799
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Hearing Loss
- Body System
- Auditory
TL;DR
Breathing hydrogen gas can protect the delicate cells in the inner ear that help with balance from damage caused by harmful molecules produced during stress.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas preserved both the structure and function of vestibular hair cells when exposed to oxidative stress in laboratory conditions.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen gas could protect delicate hair cells in the inner ear (which help with balance and hearing) from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. Using mouse cells in a laboratory dish, they found that hydrogen gas preserved the structure of these hair cells and maintained their ability to function when exposed to a substance that creates free radicals. Hydrogen also reduced markers of oxidative stress (cellular damage from free radicals) in the inner ear tissue.
Practical Takeaway
This early laboratory study suggests hydrogen may have potential to protect inner ear cells from damage, but it was conducted in mouse cells in a dish, not in living animals or humans. Much more research would be needed to determine whether these findings apply to actual hearing or balance problems in people, or whether dissolved hydrogen in water would be effective.
Abstract
Hydrogen gas effectively protected against the morphological and functional vestibular hair cell damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are generally produced by oxidative stress. In the inner ear, ROS levels increase as a result of noise trauma and ototoxic drugs and induce damage. It is thus important to control ROS levels in the inner ear. The protective effects of hydrogen gas in cochlear hair cells have been reported previously. This study examined the effects of hydrogen gas on mouse vestibular hair cell damage by ROS using antimycin A. In the group *exposed to hydrogen gas, vestibular hair cells were morphologically well preserved and their mechano-electrical transduction activities were relatively well maintained when compared with controls. Hydroxyphenyl fluorescein (HPF) fluorescence in vestibular tissue was also reduced by hydrogen gas.