Hydrogen Gas Reduced Liver Injury in Mice During Surgery
Inhalation of hydrogen gas suppresses hepatic injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion through reducing oxidative stress
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Kei-Ichi Fukuda, Sadamitsu Asoh, Masahiro Ishikawa, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Ikuroh Ohsawa, Shigeo Ohta
- Journal
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
- Year
- 2007
- PMID
- 17673169
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 1-4% hydrogen gas inhalation during 190 minutes of reperfusion
- H₂ concentration
- 1-4% H2 gas
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 413 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can help protect the liver from damage caused by a temporary loss and restoration of blood flow.
Key Finding
Inhaling hydrogen gas (1-4%) reduced liver cell death and damage markers in mice recovering from ischemia/reperfusion injury, with the protective effect being specific to hydrogen rather than other gases.
Summary
Researchers studied whether breathing hydrogen gas could protect mouse livers from damage caused by temporarily cutting off blood supply and then restoring it (a condition called ischemia/reperfusion injury). When mice breathed hydrogen gas (1-4%) during the recovery period, their livers showed less cell death and lower levels of damage markers in the blood compared to mice that breathed regular air, suggesting hydrogen gas reduced harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species that damage cells.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage mouse study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect the liver from ischemia/reperfusion injury by reducing oxidative stress, but much more research—including human trials—would be needed before any clinical application. The findings are preliminary and limited to an animal model of a specific type of liver injury.
Abstract (excerpt)
We have recently showed that molecular hydrogen has great potential for selectively reducing cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl radicals, and that inhalation of hydrogen gas decreases cerebral infarction volume by reducing oxidative stress [I. Ohsawa, M. Ishikawa, K. Takahashi, M…