Hydrogen IV in Horses After Intense Exercise
Intravenous infusion of H2-saline suppresses oxidative stress and elevates antioxidant potential in Thoroughbred horses after racing exercise
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (horse)
- Authors
- Masahiko Yamazaki, Kanichi Kusano, Toru Ishibashi, Masataka Kiuchi, Katsuhiro Koyama
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2015
- PMID
- 26493164
- Study Type
- Horse
- Participants
- 13
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 2-L intravenous saline with 0.6-ppm H2 before high-intensity simulation race
- H₂ concentration
- 0.6 ppm
- Duration
- 1 day or less
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 22 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Giving horses a special saline solution with hydrogen (H2) in it can help reduce the stress on their muscles after intense racing.
Key Finding
Intravenous hydrogen-saline infusion significantly reduced oxidative stress markers in Thoroughbred horses at multiple time points after exhaustive racing exercise (immediately, 3 hours, and 24 hours post-race).
Summary
Researchers gave 13 Thoroughbred horses either a saline (salt water) injection with or without dissolved hydrogen gas before they ran a high-intensity race. They measured markers of oxidative stress (cellular damage from intense exercise) in the horses' blood immediately after the race and at 3 and 24 hours later. Horses that received the hydrogen-infused saline showed significantly lower oxidative stress at all three time points compared to the control group, though the horses' natural antioxidant defenses (the body's own protective systems) were not enhanced.
Practical Takeaway
This study in horses suggests that hydrogen therapy may help reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress in large animals, which could have implications for human athletes. However, this is an animal study with a small sample size, and the findings cannot be directly applied to humans without further research. The practical relevance for hydrogen water consumption in humans remains unclear, as this study used intravenous delivery rather than oral consumption.
Abstract (excerpt)
Upon intensive, exhaustive exercise, exercise-induced reactive oxygen species may exceed the antioxidant defence threshold, consequently resulting in muscular damage or late-onset chronic inflammation. Recently, the therapeutic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of molecular hydrogen (H2)…