Hydrogen Water Improves Survival During Fasting in Fruit Fly Study
- Authors
- Chung-Hsing Chao
- Journal
- Nutrition in Health and Disease - Our Challenges Now and Forthcoming Time
- Year
- 2019
- DOI
- 10.5772/intechopen.80777
- Study Type
- Fruit Fly
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Taiwan
- Health Condition
- Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Whole Body
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen water may help fruit flies live longer when they haven't eaten by reducing harmful oxidative stress.
Key Finding
Fruit flies given hydrogen water survived longer during fasting periods than those without it, suggesting hydrogen may help protect cells from damage caused by starvation stress.
Summary
Researchers gave fruit flies hydrogen water (water infused with hydrogen gas) and then starved them to see if it would help them survive longer. When cells break down food, they create harmful molecules called free radicals that can damage the body. The study found that hydrogen water appeared to help starved flies survive longer, possibly by neutralizing these harmful free radicals. The benefit seemed to work for both weaker and stronger flies.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage study in fruit flies only, so it cannot tell us whether hydrogen water would have similar effects in humans. While the results are interesting, much more research—including studies in mammals and humans—would be needed before drawing any conclusions about hydrogen water's usefulness for people facing metabolic stress or fasting.
Abstract
In this study, we use a Drosophila model to examine the effect of drinking hydrogen water on survival rate after fasting. The cells produce free radicals to help to absorb nutritious substances due to metabolism, which is a unique phenomenon for biological organisms. But if over the tension of free radicals can seriously affect the physiological functions, and even lead to death. Recently, scientists found that molecular hydrogen is a free radicals scavenger. However, no bio physiological mechanism and experiment have shown that by drinking hydrogen water, can eliminate the free radicals in animals and the evidence sufficient to influence the survival rate after fasting. Surprisingly, the results of the study support that hydrogen water may be helpful for the survival rate of the fasted fly. When the body loses oxygen free radicals due to food breakoff, hydrogen water may neutralize free radicals and reduce damage to cells. However, we also found that hydrogen water seems to be much help for relatively weak individuals, such as the mutant flies, and it is also favorable for individuals with stronger physique in wild Drosophila melanogaster females. In conclusion, the results show that flies can increase their survival rate by feeding hydrogen water under extreme oxidation stress.