Hydrogen Water Protects Against Lung Transplant Rejection in Mice
Hydrogen water alleviates obliterative airway disease in mice
Research hubs: Respiratory System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Naoki Ozeki, Aika Yamawaki-Ogata, Yuji Narita, Shinji Mii, Kaori Ushida, Mikako Ito, Shin-Ichi Hirano, Ryosuke Kurokawa, Kinji Ohno, Akihiko Usui
- Journal
- General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
- Year
- 2020
- PMID
- 31468277
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Participants
- 12
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- Hydrogen water (10 ppm) administered daily for 21 days
- H₂ concentration
- 10 ppm
- Duration
- 3 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 5 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Drinking water saturated with hydrogen gas may help prevent a serious lung complication after a lung transplant by reducing inflammation and oxidative damage.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water decreased airway blockage and reduced pro-inflammatory markers in transplanted mouse lungs, suggesting it may help prevent a common post-transplant complication called bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-enriched water could help prevent a serious lung complication that develops after transplant surgery. In transplanted mouse lungs, they found that hydrogen water reduced airway blockage and lowered inflammation markers compared to regular water, suggesting it may work by reducing harmful oxidative stress and boosting immune cells that calm inflammation.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage mouse study with no human testing yet. While the results are encouraging for potential lung transplant applications, it's too soon to draw conclusions about whether hydrogen water would help transplant patients. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any clinical recommendations could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
Objective: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome arising from chronic airway inflammation is a leading cause of death following lung transplantation. Several studies have suggested that inhaled hydrogen can protect lung grafts from ischemia-reperfusion injury via anti-inflammatory and -oxidative…