Hydrogen Water Protects Unborn Babies' Lungs from Infection Damage
- Authors
- Y. Hattori, T. Kotani, H. Tsuda, Y. Mano, L. Tu, H. Li, S. Hirako, T. Ushida, K. Imai, T. Nakano, Y. Sato, R. Miki, S. Sumigama, A. Iwase, S. Toyokuni, F. Kikkawa
- Journal
- Free Radical Research
- Year
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.3109/10715762.2015.1038257
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Fetal Lung Injury
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help reduce lung damage in unborn babies when the mother experiences inflammation.
Key Finding
In pregnant rats exposed to an inflammatory trigger, maternal hydrogen water consumption reduced fetal lung cell damage, inflammation markers, and cell death compared to untreated pregnant rats.
Summary
This study examined whether hydrogen water could protect developing rat lungs from injury caused by maternal inflammation. Researchers exposed pregnant rats to an inflammatory trigger (lipopolysaccharide) and gave some mothers hydrogen water before the exposure. They found that mothers who drank hydrogen water had fetuses with less lung cell damage, less inflammation, and fewer signs of cell death compared to mothers who did not receive hydrogen water.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen water may help protect fetal lungs during maternal inflammation. However, these results are from rats only and have not been tested in humans, so it is too early to draw conclusions about whether this would work in pregnant women or affect premature infant health.
Abstract (excerpt)
Maternal inflammation is associated with spontaneous preterm birth and respiratory impairment among premature infants. Recently, molecular hydrogen (H2) has been reported to have a suppressive effect on oxidative stress and inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of H2…