Can hydrogen therapy help with psoriasis?

This study suggests yes - all three psoriasis patients showed significant improvement with hydrogen therapy. Their skin lesions nearly disappeared and joint pain decreased, though larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.

How was hydrogen given to psoriasis patients in this study?

Researchers used three methods: intravenous saline with dissolved hydrogen, breathing 3% hydrogen gas, and drinking water with high hydrogen concentration (5-7 ppm). All methods showed positive results.

What improvements did psoriasis patients see with hydrogen therapy?

Patients experienced dramatic skin clearing with psoriatic lesions almost completely disappearing. They also had reduced joint pain and lower levels of inflammatory markers in their blood.

How does molecular hydrogen help with psoriasis inflammation?

Hydrogen acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing harmful reactive oxygen species that contribute to psoriasis inflammation. This reduces inflammatory proteins like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17 that drive psoriasis symptoms.

Is hydrogen therapy safe for psoriasis patients?

The study reported no adverse effects from hydrogen therapy in the three patients treated. However, this was a small case study, so larger safety trials are needed before widespread use.

Hydrogen Therapy Clears Psoriasis Skin and Joint Pain in 3 Patients

Authors: TORU ISHIBASHI, MIKI ICHIKAWA, BUNPEI SATO, SHINJI SHIBATA, YUICHI HARA, YUJI NARITOMI, KEN OKAZAKI, YASUHARU NAKASHIMA, YUKIHIDE IWAMOTO, SAMON KOYANAGI, HIROSHI HARA, TETSUHIKO NAGAO
Journal: Molecular Medicine Reports
Year: 2015
DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3707
Study Type: Human
Outcome: Positive
Peer Reviewed: Yes
Country: Japan
Health Condition: Psoriasis
Body System: Integumentary

TL;DR

Hydrogen gas treatments reduced skin inflammation and improved symptoms in three patients with psoriasis.

Key Finding

Three patients with psoriasis-associated arthritis showed improvements in disease severity scores and skin lesion severity after receiving molecular hydrogen through multiple delivery methods, with some patients also showing reduced levels of inflammatory markers.

Summary

This study followed three patients with psoriasis (a chronic inflammatory skin disease) who were treated with molecular hydrogen using three different methods: infusions of hydrogen-containing saline, inhalation of hydrogen gas, and drinking water with high levels of dissolved hydrogen. The researchers measured disease severity using standard scoring systems and tracked inflammatory markers in the blood. All three patients showed improvements in skin lesions and joint symptoms, and some showed decreases in inflammatory proteins associated with psoriasis.

Practical Takeaway

This case report provides early evidence that hydrogen water and other hydrogen delivery methods may help reduce psoriasis symptoms and inflammation. However, this study involved only three patients with no control group, so much larger and more rigorous trials are needed before any conclusions can be drawn about whether hydrogen water would help psoriasis patients more broadly. Anyone with psoriasis should continue their current medical treatment and consult their doctor before trying hydrogen water as a supplement.

Abstract

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, is caused by infiltrating lymphocytes and associated cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17. Effective treatments, including pathogenesis-based biological agents against psoriasis, are currently under development. Although the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis of psoriasis has been investigated, it remains to be fully elucidated; ROS-targeted therapeutic strategies are also lacking at present. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess whether H2, a ROS scavenger, has a therapeutic effect on psoriasis-associated inflammation by reducing hydroxyl radicals or peroxynitrite in the immunogenic psoriasis cascade. Three methods were used to administer H2: Drop infusion of saline containing 1 ppm H2 (H2-saline), inhalation of 3% H2 gas, and drinking of water containing a high concentration (5-7-ppm) of H2 (high-H2 water). Treatment efficacy was estimated using the disease activity score 28 (DAS28) system, based on C-reactive protein levels, and the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, determined at baseline and following each H2 treatment. Furthermore, levels of TNFα, IL-6, and IL-17 were analyzed. The DAS28 and PASI score of the three patients decreased during H2 treatment, regardless of the administration method. The psoriatic skin lesions almost disappeared at the end of the treatment. IL-6 levels decreased during H2 treatment in Case 1 and 2. IL-17, whose concentration was high in Case 1, was reduced following H2 treatment, and TNFα also decreased in Case 1. In conclusion, H2 administration reduced inflammation associated with psoriasis in the three cases examined and it may therefore be considered as a treatment strategy for psoriasis-associated skin lesions and arthritis.