Human Cells Can Make Their Own Hydrogen Gas, Groundbreaking Study Shows
In vitro hydrogen production by mammal [FeFe]-hydrogenase-like protein
Research hubs: Oxidative Stress
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Pengfei Cheng, Peng Xue, Yueqiao Wang, Ke Jiang, Chenxu Cai, Yan Zeng, Didier Pathier, Xu Cheng, Wenbiao Shen
- Journal
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.151596
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Cellular Metabolism Disorders
- Body System
- Cellular
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
TL;DR
Scientists have discovered that certain human and pig proteins can produce hydrogen gas, suggesting that this ability might be common in animals.
Key Finding
Mammalian cells contain [FeFe]-hydrogenase-like proteins capable of producing hydrogen gas in vitro, suggesting endogenous hydrogen production may be a widespread but previously unrecognized cellular process.
Summary
Researchers discovered that human and pig cells contain proteins similar to those found in algae that can produce hydrogen gas. When these proteins were made in bacteria and tested in the lab, they successfully produced hydrogen under oxygen-free conditions. The proteins were found throughout different tissues in both humans and pigs, suggesting that hydrogen production might be a basic cellular process that has been overlooked in evolution.
Practical Takeaway
This is very early laboratory research showing that mammalian cells may naturally produce hydrogen—it does not yet demonstrate that this happens in living organisms or that it has health benefits. Much more research is needed to understand whether endogenous hydrogen production occurs in the body and what role it might play in health.
Abstract (excerpt)
Although emerging evidence in mammals reveals that exogenously applied H2 positively regulates numerous physiological and pathological responses, it remains unclear whether and how mammalian cells produce H2 endogenously. Here, we report for the first time that recombinant human (Homo sapiens)…