Hydrogen Water Boosts Colon Cancer Treatment When Combined with Chemo
- Authors
- Joshua Runtuwene, Haruka Amitani, Marie Amitani, Akihiro Asakawa, Kai-Chun Cheng, Akio Inui
- Journal
- PeerJ
- Year
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.7717/peerj.859
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Colon Cancer
- Body System
- Digestive System
TL;DR
Drinking water with high levels of hydrogen can boost the effectiveness of a common cancer drug in treating colon cancer.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water enhanced the cancer-fighting effects of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy in colon cancer cells and improved survival in mice with colon cancer, with higher concentrations of dissolved hydrogen showing stronger effects.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen water could help fight colon cancer in laboratory cells and mice. They found that hydrogen water enhanced the cancer-killing effects of a chemotherapy drug called 5-fluorouracil, and that water with higher amounts of dissolved hydrogen worked better than water with lower amounts. The hydrogen appeared to work by triggering cancer cells to self-destruct through a specific cellular pathway.
Practical Takeaway
This is early laboratory and animal research only—it has not been tested in humans. While the results are promising, they cannot yet tell us whether hydrogen water would help people with colon cancer or whether it would be safe to use alongside chemotherapy. Anyone with cancer should discuss any supplements or water products with their oncologist before use.
Abstract
Oxidative stress is involved in cancer development. Hydrogen (H2) is a potent antioxidant and exhibits anti-inflammatory and potentially anticancer-like activities. This study aimed to investigate the role of H2 incombination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo using the colon 26 cell line. The survival rate was determined using the Kaplan-Meier survival test, and cell viability was assessed using cell viability imaging kit and the MTT assay, and activation of the cell apoptosis pathway (Phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and Caspase 3) were characterized by western blots. Hydrogen water administration improved the survival of mice with colon 26-induced cancer. Furthermore, hydrogen water enhanced cell apoptosis in cancer cells, resulting in a marked increase in the expression of p-AMPK, AIF and Caspase 3 in colon 26 cells. Hydrogen water also increased the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on colon 26 cells with spect to cell survival rate and anticancer functions. Additionally, high-content hydrogen water exhibited stronger antioxidative and anticancer activity than did the natural hydrogen water. In conclusion, high-content hydrogen water can inhibit colon cancer, particularly in combination with 5-fluorouracil.