Hydrogen Treatment Protects Nerve Cells from Diabetes Damage
Hydrogen‑rich medium alleviates high glucose‑induced oxidative stress and parthanatos in rat Schwann cells in�vitro
Research hubs: Type 2 Diabetes · Brain & Nervous System
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Qing Li, Yang Jiao, Yang Yu, Guolin Wang, Yong-Hao Yu
- Journal
- Molecular Medicine Reports
- Year
- 2018
- PMID
- 30431142
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Medium (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 48 h treatment with hydrogen-rich medium
- Duration
- 2 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 19 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
A hydrogen-rich solution can protect nerve cells from damage caused by high blood sugar in diabetes.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich medium reduced oxidative stress and prevented PARP-1-dependent cell death in rat Schwann cells exposed to high glucose levels in laboratory conditions.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich water could protect nerve support cells (called Schwann cells) from damage caused by high glucose levels in a laboratory dish. They found that hydrogen-rich medium reduced harmful molecules called free radicals and prevented a type of cell death triggered by a protein called PARP-1, while also improving cell survival under high-glucose conditions.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early laboratory study in rat cells only, not humans. While the results suggest hydrogen-rich water may help protect nerve cells from high-glucose damage, much more research—including animal studies and human trials—would be needed before any conclusions about its usefulness for diabetic nerve damage could be drawn.
Abstract (excerpt)
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is considered to be the most common cause of microvascular diabetic complications, for which no effective therapies currently exist. Previous studies have identified that oxidative stress is the common pathway in all possible hypotheses for the induction of DPN…