Hydrogen Therapy Helps Lupus Patient Reduce Heart Problems and Fatigue
- Authors
- Yun-Ting Lin, Jeng-Wei Lu, Yi-Jung Ho, Shan-Wen Lui, Ting-Yu Hsieh, Hsiao-Chen Liu, Kuang-Yih Wang, Feng-Cheng Liu
- Journal
- In Vivo
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.21873/invivo.13924
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Taiwan
- Health Condition
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Molecular hydrogen therapy may help reduce fatigue and improve heart and immune function in patients with lupus, without the side effects of traditional treatments.
Key Finding
A lupus patient with heart failure who received molecular hydrogen therapy showed improvements in cardiac function, reduced autoimmune markers, and significant fatigue reduction while tapering off steroids.
Summary
This report describes a single patient with lupus (an autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs) and heart failure who received molecular hydrogen therapy alongside standard treatments. Over several months, the patient showed improvements in heart function, reduced levels of disease-related antibodies, changes in immune cells, and less fatigue. She was also able to reduce her steroid dose while staying stable.
Practical Takeaway
This is a single case report, which is the lowest level of evidence and cannot establish whether hydrogen therapy actually caused the improvements or whether they would occur in other lupus patients. While the results are interesting, much larger and more rigorous studies would be needed before drawing any conclusions about hydrogen's role in treating lupus or autoimmune disease.
Abstract
Background/aim: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by multi-organ inflammation and damage across multiple organs, typically managed with steroids and immunomodulators. However, prolonged use of these treatments is often associated with significant side effects, underscoring the need for adjunctive therapies that improve disease outcomes while minimizing adverse effects. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has demonstrated potential as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. This report discusses a case of SLE with cardiac complications, evaluating the therapeutic impact of molecular hydrogen therapy on fatigue, immune modulation, and cardiac function. Case report: A 51-year-old female with SLE and acute decompensated heart failure initially received steroids and immunomodulators for disease management. Subsequently, molecular hydrogen therapy was introduced as an adjuvant treatment. Over several months, her cardiac function showed notable improvement, evidenced by reductions in anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro52 antibody levels, and Pro-BNP levels, as well as favorable shifts in T and B cell subsets. Additionally, the patient experienced a significant reduction in fatigue. She successfully tapered off steroids while maintaining disease stability with ongoing molecular hydrogen therapy. Conclusion: This case highlights the potential of molecular hydrogen therapy as an adjuvant treatment in SLE, with observed benefits in immune modulation and fatigue reduction. Further studies are warranted to elucidate its therapeutic role and applicability in autoimmune diseases.