Hydrogen Water May Reduce Preeclampsia Features in Rats
Molecular hydrogen ameliorates several characteristics of preeclampsia in the Reduced Uterine Perfusion Pressure (RUPP) rat model
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System · Reproductive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Takafumi Ushida, Tomomi Kotani, Hiroyuki Tsuda, Kenji Imai, Tomoko Nakano, Shima Hirako, Yumiko Ito, Hua Li, Yukio Mano, Jingwen Wang, Rika Miki, Eiko Yamamoto, Akira Iwase, Yasuko K. Bando, Masaaki Hirayama, Kinji Ohno, Shinya Toyokuni, Fumitaka Kikkawa
- Journal
- Free Radical Biology and Medicine
- Year
- 2016
- PMID
- 27789293
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- H2 water administered orally ad libitum from gestational day 12-19
- Duration
- 8 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 30 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-enriched water reduced high blood pressure and other harmful effects in a rat model of preeclampsia, suggesting it could help prevent this pregnancy complication.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water administration reduced high blood pressure, improved kidney function, and decreased harmful oxidative stress markers in pregnant rats with preeclampsia-like symptoms.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-enriched water could help prevent preeclampsia (a dangerous pregnancy condition involving high blood pressure and protein in urine) in rats. They gave pregnant rats hydrogen water starting before inducing preeclampsia-like symptoms. The hydrogen water reduced high blood pressure, improved kidney function, decreased harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, and improved placental (afterbirth) function compared to rats that didn't receive it.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage animal study suggests hydrogen water may help prevent preeclampsia by reducing oxidative stress, but these results are from rats only and have not been tested in pregnant women. Much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before any conclusions about safety or effectiveness in pregnancy could be drawn.
Abstract (excerpt)
Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Recently, molecular hydrogen (H2) has been shown to have therapeutic potential in various oxidative stress-related diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of H2 on preeclampsia. We used the reduced…