Hydrogen Water Improves Sleep Quality and Brain Function in Mice
- Authors
- Scott M. Vincent, Melika Madani, Dante Dikeman, Kyle Golden, Naomi Crocker, Cameron Jackson, Sam P. Wimmer, Mary Dover, Alexis Tucker, Cristina A. Ghiani, Colwell Christopher S., Tyler W. LaBaron, Alex Tarnava, Ketema N. Paul
- Journal
- Sleep Advances
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpad057
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Insomnia
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water helped mice sleep better and affected brain activity in areas related to sleep.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water increased sleep consolidation (deeper, more continuous sleep) and reduced the time it takes to fall asleep in mice, while also boosting activity in sleep-regulating brain regions.
Summary
Researchers gave mice hydrogen-rich water (water infused with extra hydrogen molecules) or regular water for a week, then measured their sleep patterns and brain activity. Mice that drank hydrogen-rich water fell asleep faster, slept more deeply, and showed increased activity in brain regions that control sleep. These effects were especially noticeable in mice that had been kept awake.
Practical Takeaway
This early evidence from mice suggests hydrogen-rich water may support sleep quality and recovery from sleep loss, but this is a preliminary animal study. Human trials would be needed before drawing conclusions about whether these effects apply to people. The study does not yet tell us what dose or duration would be relevant for human use.
Abstract
Study objectives: Sleep loss contributes to various health issues and impairs neurological function. Molecular hydrogen has recently gained popularity as a nontoxic ergogenic and health promoter. The effect of molecular hydrogen on sleep and sleep-related neural systems remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on sleep behavior and neuronal activation in sleep-deprived mice. Methods: Adult C57BL/6J mice were implanted with electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) recording electrodes and given HRW (0.7-1.4 mM) or regular water for 7 days ad libitum. Sleep-wake cycles were recorded under baseline conditions and after acute sleep loss. Neuronal activation in sleep- and wake-related regions was assessed using cFos immunostaining. Results: HRW increased sleep consolidation in undisturbed mice and increased non-rapid-eye movement and rapid-eye-movement sleep amount in sleep-deprived mice. HRW also decreased the average amount of time for mice to fall asleep after light onset. Neuronal activation in the lateral septum, medial septum, ventrolateral preoptic area, and median preoptic area was significantly altered in all mice treated with HRW. Conclusions: HRW improves sleep consolidation and increases neuronal activation in sleep-related brain regions. It may serve as a simple, effective treatment to improve recovery after sleep loss. Keywords: HRW; cFos; deprivation; fragmentation; hydrogen-rich water; hypnotic; insomnia; latency; septual nuclei; sleep.