Hydrogen Water Protects Brain Cells from Damage in Lab Study
- Authors
- Robert Settineri, Jie Zhou, Jin Ji, Rita R. Ellithorpe, Steven Rosenblatt, Antonio Jimenez, Shigeo Ohta, Gonzalo Ferreira, Garth L. Nicolson
- Journal
- American Journal of Food and Nutrition
- Year
- 2018
- DOI
- 10.12691/ajfn-6-1-2
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich water helps protect brain cells from damage caused by oxidative stress and harmful substances like glutamate.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-enriched water protected cultured human brain cells from oxidative stress and glutamate damage at relatively low concentrations, while also boosting the cells' natural antioxidant defenses through increased glutathione and Nrf2 activation.
Summary
Researchers tested hydrogen-enriched water on human brain cells grown in a laboratory to see if it could protect them from damage. They found that hydrogen water increased levels of glutathione (a natural protective molecule in cells), activated a cellular defense pathway called Nrf2, and protected brain cells from two types of damage: oxidative stress (harmful chemical reactions) and glutamate toxicity (damage from excess glutamate, a brain chemical).
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests hydrogen water may have neuroprotective properties, but it was conducted only in cultured cells—not in living organisms or humans. Much more research, including animal and human studies, would be needed before any health claims could be made about hydrogen water's effects on brain health in real people.
Abstract
Hydrogenized water is known to have protective effects on cells and tissues, mainly through its antioxidant activities. Here we examined the protective effects of a commercial source of hydrogenized water on cultured human brain cells. Hydrogenized water was able to protect brain cells from oxidative stress and glutamate toxicity. At H 2 concentrations above 0.01 mM the glutathione levels increased in cultured brain cells. The level of glutathione rose from approximately 500 to approximately 850 μM at the maximum dose of hydrogenized water with an EC 50 of approximately 0.030 mM. Hydrogenized water was also able to enhance the signaling pathway for oxidative stress response mediated by Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2 like factor). Treatment of cells with hydrogenized water at concentrations above 0.01 mM H 2 induced activation of Nrf2 (EC 50 approximately 0.05 mM). Hydrogenized water was also able to protect brain cells against glutamate toxicity. Using a DNA damage response element, (γH2AX, to monitor the damage of glutamate toxicity we found that concentrations of H 2 above 0.01 mM protected cells from glutamate damage with an EC 50 of approximately 0.05 mM H 2. These in vitro results demonstrated that hydrogenized water can protect brain cells against common types of damage from oxidative stress and glutamate toxicity.