Hydrogen Gas Protects Brain from Exercise-Related Inflammation in Rats
- Authors
- Jonatas E. Nogueira, Junia L. de Deus, Mateus R. Amorim, Marcelo E. Batalhão, Ricardo M. Leão, Evelin C. Carnio, Luiz G.S. Branco
- Journal
- Neuroscience Letters
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134577
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Brazil
- Health Condition
- Exercise-Induced Inflammation
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Inhaling molecular hydrogen (H2) gas can reduce inflammation in the brain caused by intense exercise without affecting oxidative stress.
Key Finding
Inhaled hydrogen gas reduced exercise-induced inflammation in the rat brain by decreasing pro-inflammatory molecules and increasing anti-inflammatory molecules immediately after intense exercise.
Summary
Researchers gave sedentary rats either hydrogen gas or regular air while they ran intensely on a treadmill, then measured inflammation markers in the hippocampus (a brain region involved in memory). Rats breathing hydrogen gas showed reduced levels of inflammatory molecules that promote inflammation (TNF-α and IL-6) and increased levels of anti-inflammatory molecules (IL-10) compared to control rats, suggesting hydrogen gas may help protect the brain from harmful inflammation caused by sudden intense exercise.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen gas may help reduce brain inflammation from intense exercise in untrained individuals, but results are limited to rats and a single exercise session. Human studies would be needed to determine if these findings apply to people, and whether the effect persists with regular training or different exercise intensities.
Abstract (excerpt)
Physical exercise-induced inflammation may be beneficial when exercise is regular but it may be harmful when exercise is intense and performed by unaccustomed individuals/rats. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has recently emerged as a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic molecule…