Hydrogen Water Prevents Bone Loss in Diabetic Rats
- Authors
- Jialiang Guo, Weichong Dong, Lin Jin, Pengcheng Wang, Zhiyong Hou, Yingze Zhang
- Journal
- International Orthopaedics
- Year
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00264-017-3581-4
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Body System
- Skeletal
TL;DR
Giving osteoporotic rats with diabetes a special hydrogen-rich saline water improved their bone health and reduced their blood sugar levels.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline treatment preserved bone volume, improved bone structure, and increased mechanical strength in diabetic rats, while also lowering their blood glucose levels.
Summary
Researchers gave diabetic rats hydrogen-rich saline (salt water containing dissolved hydrogen) or regular saline for 12 weeks to see if it could protect their bones. Diabetic rats typically lose bone strength due to excess harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species. The rats receiving hydrogen-rich saline had better blood sugar control, stronger bones with better structure, and improved bone material properties compared to diabetic rats given regular saline.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help prevent bone loss in diabetes by reducing oxidative stress, but human studies are needed to determine if these results apply to people. The treatment was well-tolerated in animals, but effectiveness and safety in humans remain unknown.
Abstract
Purpose: As an antioxidant molecule, hydrogen has been received much more attention and reported to be used as the treatment strategy for various diseases. In this study, we hypothesize that systemic delivery of hydrogen saline water may improve the reservation of bone tissue in the tibias and femurs of osteoporotic rats caused by diabetes mellitus (DM), which is characterized by increased levels of oxidative stress and overproducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Methods: The animals were divided into three groups of 12 animals and lavaged with normal saline (normal control and DM), or hydrogen saline water (DM + HRS). General status, blood glucose level, tibial and femoral mechanical strength, and micro-CT scans of the proximal tibia were recorded and analyzed. Results: After 12 weeks, the glucose level was significantly decreased in the DM + HRS group compared with that of the DM group. Micro-CT scans showed that bone volume/total volume, connectivity density, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number were significantly increased compared with the DM group. Mechanical results of energy, stiffness and elastic modulus in the DM + HRS group were significantly higher than in the other groups for the tibia and femur. Conclusions: The results indicate that the systemic delivery of hydrogen saline water, which is safe and well tolerated, preserves bone volume and decreases fracture risks in streptozotocin-induced diabetic status rats, whose bone structure or inherent material properties of bone tissues are changed.