Hydrogen Water Protects Brain Cells from Damage in Vitamin C-Deficient Mice
Hydrogen-rich pure water prevents superoxide formation in brain slices of vitamin C-depleted SMP30/GNL knockout mice
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Yasunori Sato, Shizuo Kajiyama, Akiko Amano, Yoshitaka Kondo, Toru Sasaki, Setsuko Handa, Ryoya Takahashi, Michiaki Fukui, Goji Hasegawa, Naoto Nakamura, Hikohito Fujinawa, Toyotaka Mori, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroshi Obayashi, Naoki Maruyama, Akihito Ishigami
- Journal
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
- Year
- 2008
- PMID
- 18706888
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- hydrogen-rich pure water administered for 33 days
- Duration
- 33 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 142 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water reduces brain damage from oxygen-related stress in mice that can't produce their own vitamin C.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water reduced superoxide formation by 27.2% in mouse brain tissue during simulated stroke conditions, independent of vitamin C levels.
Summary
Researchers gave hydrogen-rich water to genetically modified mice that cannot make vitamin C, then tested how well their brain tissue handled a stress condition that mimics stroke (lack of oxygen followed by oxygen return). Brain tissue from mice drinking hydrogen-rich water produced 27% less superoxide (a harmful molecule created during oxidative stress) compared to mice drinking regular water. This suggests hydrogen may protect brain cells by reducing oxidative damage.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage mouse study using brain tissue in a lab dish, not living animals or humans. While it suggests hydrogen may have antioxidant effects in the brain, much more research—including human studies—would be needed before drawing conclusions about health benefits for stroke prevention or brain protection. The findings are interesting but preliminary.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hydrogen is an established anti-oxidant that prevents acute oxidative stress. To clarify the mechanism of hydrogen's effect in the brain, we administered hydrogen-rich pure water (H(2)) to senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30)/gluconolactonase (GNL) knockout (KO) mice, which cannot synthesize…