Hydrogen Therapy May Boost Testosterone in Male Infertility

Authors
Journal
Medical Hypotheses
Year
DOI
10.1016/j.mehy.2018.09.001
Study Type
clinical
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
South Korea
Health Condition
Male Infertility
Body System
Reproductive

TL;DR

Researchers think that hydrogen gas might help men with fertility problems by reducing harmful chemicals in their bodies that mess up testosterone production, which is super important for making healthy sperm. If this works, hydrogen gas could be a simple new treatment to help infertile men.

Key Finding

The authors hypothesize that molecular hydrogen may enhance testosterone production in men with infertility by reducing oxidative stress and restoring proper cell signaling in the testes, though this theory has not yet been validated through clinical studies.

Summary

This paper proposes a theory about how molecular hydrogen (H2) might help men with infertility by reducing harmful molecules called free radicals in the body. The authors explain that excess free radicals can interfere with testosterone production in the testes, which is essential for sperm development. They suggest that hydrogen could restore balance and improve hormone signaling, but they note this is a hypothesis that has not yet been tested in humans.

Practical Takeaway

This is a theoretical paper, not a completed study with results—no human trials have been conducted yet. While the proposed mechanism is scientifically plausible, there is currently no clinical evidence that hydrogen water improves male fertility or testosterone levels. Anyone considering this approach should wait for actual human studies before expecting benefits.

Abstract

Since the discovery of molecular hydrogen (H2) as a selective scavenger of free radicals like reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), numerous studies have proved the potential application of H2 in therapeutic and preventative medicine. Moreover, H2 can regulate the intracellular signal as a signal modulator. However, it is still unclear in cell signaling involved in testosterone hormone production. Male fertility depends on the intra-testicular testosterone concentration, which is produced by the Leydig cell in the seminiferous tubules in testes. Although moderate amounts of ROS are needed for normal sperm function, the higher amounts might decrease testosterone production. High ROS decreases testosterone hormone production by dysregulation of hormonal signal from the hypothalamus to the Leydig cell as a result of redox imbalance. Lower level of testosterone fails to support the Leydig cell for the progression of spermatogenesis. Superoxide anion (O2-), hydroxyl radical (OH) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) could also attack the DNA, lipid and protein, disrupting sperm structure and function and aggravating the milieu of male fertility and spermatogenesis. H2 regulates intracellular MAPK downstream cAMP signal and Ca2+ signal as a signal modulator to antagonize ROS signaling. Thus H2 can play a role in modulating signals involved in testosterone hormone production to improve male fertility caused by redox imbalance. We therefore hypothesize that molecular hydrogen may enhance testosterone production via cellular redox balance. By this hypothesis, we anticipate that molecular hydrogen may be an effective remedy in male infertility.