Hydrogen Gas Protects Hearing from Loud Noise Damage in Animal Study
Inhaled hydrogen gas therapy for prevention of noise-induced hearing loss through reducing reactive oxygen species
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (guinea pig)
- Authors
- Takaomi Kurioka, Takeshi Matsunobu, Yasushi Satoh, Katsuki Niwa, Akihiro Shiotani
- Journal
- Neuroscience Research
- Year
- 2014
- PMID
- 25196919
- Study Type
- Guinea Pig
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% H2 inhalation in air for 5 hours a day for five consecutive days after noise exposure
- H₂ concentration
- 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% H2 gas
- Duration
- 5 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 57 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can help protect against hearing loss caused by loud noise.
Key Finding
Guinea pigs treated with inhaled hydrogen gas at 1.0% and 1.5% concentrations showed significantly better hearing recovery and higher survival rates of inner ear hair cells after noise exposure compared to untreated animals.
Summary
Researchers exposed guinea pigs to loud noise and then gave some of them inhaled hydrogen gas (at 1.0% or 1.5% concentration) for 5 hours daily for five days. Hydrogen gas is thought to reduce harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage cells. The guinea pigs that received hydrogen gas showed better hearing recovery and had more surviving inner ear cells (called outer hair cells) compared to those that didn't receive it. The study suggests hydrogen gas may protect hearing from noise damage by reducing oxidative stress (cellular damage from ROS).
Practical Takeaway
While this animal study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect hearing from noise damage through antioxidant mechanisms, it is only preliminary evidence in guinea pigs. Human studies would be needed to determine if these results apply to people, and the optimal dose and delivery method for humans remain unknown.
Abstract (excerpt)
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) that form in the inner ear play an important role in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Recent studies have revealed that molecular hydrogen (H2) has great potential for reducing ROS. In this study, we examined the potential of hydrogen gas to protect against NIHL. We…