Hydrogen Gas Helps Prevent Heart Damage from Sleep Apnea in Mice

Summary by Hydrogen Studies Editorial Team · Updated

Authors
Journal
American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology
Year
DOI
10.1152/ajpheart.00150.2011
Study Type
Mouse
Outcome
Positive
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
Japan
Health Condition
Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Body System
Cardiovascular

TL;DR

Breathing in hydrogen gas can reduce heart damage and bad cholesterol levels caused by the kind of oxygen fluctuations experienced during sleep apnea.

Key Finding

Hydrogen gas inhalation prevented heart damage and reduced oxidative stress in mice exposed to intermittent low-oxygen conditions that mimic sleep apnea, with the best results when hydrogen was given during oxygen recovery or continuously.

Summary

Researchers exposed mice to repeated cycles of low and normal oxygen levels (mimicking sleep apnea) for 7 days, which caused harmful changes to the heart muscle including inflammation, oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules), and structural remodeling. When mice inhaled hydrogen gas—either during the recovery phase after low oxygen or continuously throughout—these harmful changes were significantly reduced, including lower cholesterol levels and less cellular damage.

Practical Takeaway

This mouse study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect the heart from damage related to sleep apnea-like conditions by reducing oxidative stress. However, this is early-stage animal research; human studies would be needed to determine if these findings apply to people with sleep apnea or other conditions.

Abstract (excerpt)

Sleep apnea syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We previously reported that intermittent hypoxia increases superoxide production in a manner dependent on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and accelerates adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling. Recent…

Read the full abstract via DOI