Hydrogen Gas Protects Against Eye Damage From Blood Flow Loss in Rats
Inhibition of retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by inhalation of low-concentration hydrogen gas
Research hubs: Eyes & Vision 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
- Mitsuya Otsuka, Kenichi Arai, Toshiko Yoshida, Atsushi Hayashi
- Journal
- Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
- Year
- 2023
- PMID
- 37851131
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 10
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 1.8% hydrogen gas delivered via anesthesia mask simultaneously with start of 90-minute ischemia
- H₂ concentration
- 1.8% H2 gas
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 3 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas helps protect rats' eyes from damage caused by temporary loss and restoration of blood supply.
Key Finding
Inhaling 1.8% hydrogen gas significantly reduced retinal damage and inflammation in rats experiencing temporary loss of blood flow to the eye, preserving both the structure and function of the retina.
Summary
Researchers tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas could protect rat eyes from damage caused by temporarily cutting off blood flow and then restoring it (a condition called ischemia-reperfusion injury). Rats that inhaled 1.8% hydrogen gas during the blood flow interruption showed better preservation of retinal structure, less inflammation, and better visual function compared to rats that breathed regular air. The hydrogen-treated rats had thicker inner retinal layers, fewer inflammatory cells, and lower levels of inflammatory proteins.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect against vision loss from conditions involving reduced blood flow to the eye. However, this is early-stage animal research, and it remains unclear whether these results would translate to humans or what dose and delivery method would be appropriate. Further human studies would be needed before any therapeutic recommendations could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory effect of hydrogen gas inhalation on retinal ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury using a rat model. Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. A 27G needle connected by a tube to a saline bottle placed 200 cm above the eye was inserted…