Hydrogen Water Reduces Tendon Scar Tissue After Surgery
- Authors
- Jia Meng, Pan Yu, Jian Tong, Wenshuang Sun, Hui Jiang, Yicun Wang, Kaiwen Xue, Farong Xie, Hong Qian, Naicheng Liu, Jianning Zhao, Nirong Bao
- Journal
- Journal of Cellular Biochemistry
- Year
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.1002/jcb.27441
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Tendon Injuries
- Body System
- Musculoskeletal
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-enriched water may help reduce scarring and inflammation in rats after tendon surgery by boosting the body's antioxidant defenses.
Key Finding
In a rat model of tendon repair, hydrogen water treatment increased antioxidant enzyme activity and reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation compared to standard saline treatment.
Summary
Researchers gave hydrogen water to rats after tendon repair surgery to see if it could reduce scarring and inflammation. Compared to rats receiving normal saline, those treated with hydrogen water showed higher levels of protective antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GSH) and lower levels of harmful molecules (MDA) associated with cell damage. Laboratory tests on skin cells confirmed that hydrogen water reduced oxidative stress and activated a cellular defense pathway called Nrf2.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in rats only, so results cannot yet be applied to humans. The study suggests hydrogen water may help reduce inflammation after tendon injury by boosting the body's natural antioxidant defenses, but human studies would be needed to determine if this translates to better healing or fewer complications in people.
Abstract (excerpt)
AbstractA rat model of tendon repair was established to investigate the effects of hydrogen water on tendon adhesion reduction. Thirty‐six Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal saline (NS) group and a hydrogen water (HS) group according to the processing reagents after a tendon…