Hydrogen Water Linked to Improved Gut Health in Piglets Fed Contaminated Feed
Intestinal Microbiota Ecological Response to Oral Administrations of Hydrogen-Rich Water and Lactulose in Female Piglets Fed a Fusarium Toxin-Contaminated Diet
Research hubs: Digestive System · Immune System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- Weijiang Zheng, Xu Ji, Qing Zhang, Wen Yao
- Journal
- Toxins
- Year
- 2018
- PMID
- 29914163
- Study Type
- Pig
- Participants
- 24
- Delivery
- Water, Commercial (Beijing Hydrovita)
- Dose
- oral administrations of hydrogen-rich water for 25 days
- Duration
- 25 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 34 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water or taking lactulose can help protect piglets' guts from the harmful effects of a diet contaminated with certain fungal toxins.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water and lactulose both reduced diarrhea rates and restored short-chain fatty acid production in pigs fed mycotoxin-contaminated feed, while also increasing hydrogen levels in the colon and caecum.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-rich water could help young female pigs recover from intestinal problems caused by eating feed contaminated with Fusarium toxins (harmful molds). Researchers compared four groups of pigs: one eating normal feed, one eating contaminated feed, and two groups eating contaminated feed plus either hydrogen-rich water or lactulose (a type of sugar). Both hydrogen-rich water and lactulose reduced diarrhea, restored healthy levels of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (compounds produced by gut bacteria), and helped restore normal bacterial populations in the intestines.
Practical Takeaway
This is an animal study in pigs, so results cannot be directly applied to humans. The findings suggest hydrogen-rich water may help protect intestinal health when exposed to mycotoxin contamination, but human research would be needed to determine if similar benefits occur in people. The study's relevance to typical hydrogen water use in healthy individuals remains unclear.
Abstract (excerpt)
The objective of the current experiment was to explore the intestinal microbiota ecological response to oral administrations of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) and lactulose (LAC) in female piglets fed a Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated diet. A total of 24 individually-housed female piglets (Landrace…