Hydrogen Water Protects Against Radioactive Tritium Exposure
- Authors
- Hong Li, Yaru Yin, Jing Liu, Binghui Lu, Huimin Wan, Luxun Yang, Weidong Wang, Rong Li
- Journal
- Journal of Radiation Research
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1093/jrr/rraa104
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Radiation Exposure
- Body System
- Whole Body
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) can help reduce the harmful effects of exposure to radioactive tritium in both mice and human cells.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water promoted the elimination of tritium from the body and reduced radiation damage to blood cells in mice by neutralizing harmful free radicals and protecting DNA from oxidative stress.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich water could protect against radiation damage from tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen used in nuclear energy. In laboratory tests and mouse studies, hydrogen-rich water helped the body eliminate tritium faster, reduced radioactive buildup in tissues, and protected blood cells from radiation-induced damage by reducing harmful molecules called free radicals.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage research in mice and cell cultures suggests hydrogen-rich water may have potential as a protective agent against tritium radiation exposure, particularly for nuclear industry workers. However, this is preliminary evidence from animal studies only—human safety and effectiveness remain unknown, and hydrogen-rich water should not be considered a proven treatment for radiation exposure without further clinical research.
Abstract
Radionuclide tritium is widely used in the nuclear energy production industry and creates a threat to human health through radiation exposure. Herein, the radioactive elimination and radioprotective effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW), a potential antioxidant with various medical applications, on tritiated water (HTO) exposure, was studied in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that intragastric administration of HRW effectively promoted the elimination of urinary tritium, decreased the level of serum tritium and tissue-bound tritium (OBT), and attenuated the genetic damage of blood cells in mice exposed to HTO (18.5 MBq/kg). Pretreatment with HRW effectively reduces tritium accumulation in HTO-treated human blood B lymphocyte AHH-1 cells. In addition, the anti-oxidative properties of HRW could attenuate the increased intracellular ROS (such as O2•-, •OH and ONOO-), resulting in reversing the exhaustion of cellular endogenous antioxidants (reduced GSH and SOD), decreasing lipid peroxidation (MDA), relieving DNA oxidative damage, and depressing cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity induced by HTO exposure. In conclusion, HRW is expected to be an effective radioactive elimination agent through the competition effect of isotope exchange or a radioprotective agent by scavenging free radicals induced by HTO exposure.