Hydrogen Gas Improves Brain Recovery After Cardiac Arrest in Rats
Inhaling Hydrogen Ameliorates Early Postresuscitation EEG Characteristics in an Asphyxial Cardiac Arrest Rat Model
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System · Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Gang Chen, Jingru Li, Jianjie Wang, Bihua Chen, Yongqin Li
- Journal
- BioMed Research International
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31737671
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 40
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2% hydrogen with 98% oxygen for 1 hour
- H₂ concentration
- 2% H2 gas
- Duration
- 4 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 4 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Inhaling hydrogen gas improved brain function and increased survival rates in rats after a simulated cardiac arrest.
Key Finding
Rats that inhaled hydrogen after cardiac arrest had a 90% survival rate compared to 40% in the control group, and showed faster recovery of normal brain electrical patterns on EEG monitoring.
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas could help rats recover brain function after cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating). Researchers stopped the hearts of rats for 5 minutes, then performed CPR and gave some rats air mixed with hydrogen while others received air without hydrogen. The hydrogen-treated rats had better survival rates (90% vs. 40%) and showed faster recovery of normal brain electrical activity on EEG (a test that measures brain waves), suggesting hydrogen may protect the brain from damage caused by lack of oxygen.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen inhalation may protect the brain after cardiac arrest by reducing harmful chemical damage. However, these results are from rats only and have not been tested in humans. Much more research would be needed before hydrogen therapy could be considered for cardiac arrest patients.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background. Electroencephalography (EEG) is commonly used to assess the neurological prognosis of comatose patients after cardiac arrest (CA). However, the early prognostic accuracy of EEG may be affected by postresuscitation interventions. Recent animal studies found that hydrogen inhalation after…