Hydrogen May Boost Some Cancer Cells, Study Warns
Molecular Hydrogen Enhances Proliferation of Cancer Cells That Exhibit Potent Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Tomoya Hasegawa, Mikako Ito, Satoru Hasegawa, Masaki Teranishi, Koki Takeda, Shuto Negishi, Hiroshi Nishiwaki, Jun-Ichi Takeda, Tyler W. LeBaron, Kinji Ohno
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Year
- 2022
- PMID
- 35270030
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Gas
- Outcome
- Negative
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 26 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Hydrogen gas can increase the growth of certain human cancer cells by affecting their energy-producing structures, mitochondria.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen increased the proliferation of cancer cells that had high mitochondrial energy capacity, raising concerns that hydrogen therapy could potentially promote cancer cell growth in certain types of cancer.
Summary
Researchers tested molecular hydrogen on seven different human cancer cell lines grown in the laboratory. They found that hydrogen increased the growth of four of these cancer types, but not the other three. The cancer cells that grew faster when exposed to hydrogen had more active mitochondria (the energy-producing structures inside cells) compared to the ones that didn't respond. Hydrogen triggered a protective stress response in the mitochondria of the responsive cancer cells, which appeared to promote their growth.
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests that hydrogen's effects on cancer cells may depend heavily on the specific type of cancer and its metabolic characteristics. However, this is early cell-culture research only—it does not demonstrate what would happen in living organisms or humans. Anyone with cancer considering hydrogen therapy should discuss these findings with their oncologist, as this research indicates hydrogen's safety profile in cancer patients requires further investigation.
Abstract (excerpt)
Molecular hydrogen ameliorates pathological states in a variety of human diseases, animal models, and cell models, but the effects of hydrogen on cancer have been rarely reported. In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of hydrogen remain mostly unelucidated. We found that…