Hydrogen Water Reduces Nerve Pain in Mice Study
Molecular hydrogen attenuates neuropathic pain in mice
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Masanori Kawaguchi, Yasushi Satoh, Yukiko Otsubo, Tomiei Kazama
- Journal
- PLoS One
- Year
- 2014
- PMID
- 24941001
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water, Commercial (Blue Mercury)
- Dose
- hydrogen-saturated water ad libitum for 3 weeks, with subgroup analyses for induction phase (days 0-4) and maintenance phase (days 4-21)
- H₂ concentration
- saturated level
- Duration
- 3 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 50 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-enriched water can reduce nerve pain and damage in mice by lowering oxidative stress.
Key Finding
Drinking hydrogen-enriched water reduced both mechanical pain sensitivity and heat sensitivity in mice with nerve injuries, particularly when administered during the early phase after injury.
Summary
Researchers tested whether drinking water containing molecular hydrogen could reduce nerve pain in mice with a specific type of nerve injury. Mice that drank hydrogen-enriched water showed reduced pain responses compared to controls, and the treatment appeared to work by reducing harmful molecules called oxidative stress in the nervous system. The treatment was most effective when given early after the nerve injury occurred.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen water may help with neuropathic pain by reducing oxidative stress in nerve tissue. However, results in mice do not automatically translate to humans, and no human trials have been conducted yet. More research, including human studies, would be needed before drawing conclusions about effectiveness in people with nerve pain.
Abstract (excerpt)
Neuropathic pain remains intractable and the development of new therapeutic strategies are urgently required. Accumulating evidence indicates that overproduction of oxidative stress is a key event in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. However, repeated intra-peritoneal or intrathecal injections…