Hydrogen Therapy Helps Reset Immune Cells in Lupus Patients
Longitudinal In Vivo Immunophenotyping of Regulatory T Cells Following Adjunctive Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Research hubs: Immune System
- Evidence type
- Observational study · Human study
- Authors
- Chin Liu, Ying-Chen Chen, Jeng-Wei Lu, Yi-Jung Ho, Shan-Wen Lui, Ting-Yu Hsieh, Wun-Long Jheng, Kuang-Yih Wang, Feng-Cheng Liu
- Journal
- In Vivo
- Year
- 2026
- PMID
- 42379737
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 8
- Delivery
- Gas (Sustained Release)
- Dose
- daily intake of hydrogen-rich coral calcium capsules (170 mg)
- Funding
- National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 114-2313-B-019-012); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 112-2314-B-016-033); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 114-2314-B-016-052-MY3); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 113-2314-B-016-052); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 112-2314-B-016-033); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 114-2313-B-019-012); Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH-E-113238); Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH-E-112218)
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 0 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Taiwan
TL;DR
Regulatory T-cell subsets expanded during active lupus and returned toward baseline with remission, suggesting potential as recovery biomarkers.
Key Finding
Regulatory T cell subsets expanded during active lupus disease and contracted back to baseline levels as patients achieved clinical stability, suggesting this dynamic pattern could serve as a biomarker for successful immune recovery.
Summary
This study tracked immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs) in eight patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, as they received molecular hydrogen therapy. The researchers found that during active disease, certain Treg populations temporarily increased as the body tried to control inflammation, and then decreased back to normal levels when the disease stabilized. This pattern of expansion and contraction may serve as a biological marker of successful disease control.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests molecular hydrogen therapy may support immune rebalancing in lupus patients, but the findings are preliminary—the study tracked only eight patients and did not compare hydrogen therapy to a control group. More research with larger patient populations and comparison groups is needed to determine whether hydrogen therapy directly causes these immune changes or whether other factors are responsible.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background/aim: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are pivotal for maintaining immune tolerance, yet their dynamic changes during the transition from active disease to remission in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain unclear. We assessed whether specific Treg subpopulations can serve as biomarkers…