Hydrogen Water Reduces Asthma Inflammation Through Gut Health Changes
- Authors
- Li Li, Ziqian Xu, Haoran Ni, Yesong Meng, Yongzhuang Xu, Hao Xu, Yuyang Zheng, Yi Zhang, Geng Xue, Yan Shang
- Journal
- Free Radical Biology & Medicine
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.08.009
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Asthma
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help reduce inflammation in asthma by positively changing gut bacteria and increasing beneficial compounds in the body.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water reduced airway inflammation in asthmatic mice by altering gut bacteria composition and increasing levels of indole-3-acetic acid, a bacterial metabolite that activates anti-inflammatory signaling pathways.
Summary
Researchers gave hydrogen-rich water to mice with asthma and found it reduced airway inflammation (swelling in the breathing passages). The water appeared to work by changing the types of bacteria in the mice's guts, increasing helpful bacteria and a compound called indole-3-acetic acid that these bacteria produce. This compound then activated a cellular pathway (aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling) that helped reduce inflammation in the lungs.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage mouse study suggests hydrogen-rich water may help with asthma through gut-lung connections, but human studies are needed before any conclusions can be drawn about its use in people. The findings are preliminary and should not be considered a basis for treating asthma without medical guidance.
Abstract
Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) is a beverage containing a high concentration of hydrogen that has been researched for its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties in asthma. This study investigates the potential therapeutic impact of HRW on the gut-lung axis. Using 16S rRNA and serum metabolomics, we examined changes in gut microbiota and serum metabolites in asthmatic mice after HRW intervention, followed by validation experiments. The findings revealed that HRW influenced gut microbiota by increasing Ligilactobacillus and Bifidobacterium abundance and enhancing the presence of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a microbially derived serum metabolite. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that HRW's protective effects against airway inflammation in asthmatic mice may be linked to the gut microbiota, with IAA potentially playing a role in reducing asthmatic airway inflammation through the aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhR) signaling pathway. In summary, HRW can modify gut microbiota, increase Bifidobacterium abundance, elevate microbial-derived IAA levels, and activate AhR, which could potentially alleviate inflammation in asthma.