Hydrogen Therapy Protects Hearts from Radiation Damage in Animal Study
- Authors
- Branislav Kura, Ashim K. Bagchi, Pawan K. Singal, Miroslav Barancik, Tyler W. LeBaron, Katarina Valachova, Ladislav Soltes, Jan Slezak
- Journal
- Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
- Year
- 2019
- DOI
- 10.1139/cjpp-2018-0604
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Slovakia
- Health Condition
- Radiation Injury
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Scientists found that a special type of hydrogen called molecular hydrogen can protect your heart from damage caused by radiation by boosting your body's natural defense system against harmful molecules. This could be really useful for people who get radiation treatment for cancer or are exposed to radiation in other ways.
Key Finding
In rat hearts exposed to radiation, molecular hydrogen pre-treatment significantly reduced lipid peroxidation (a marker of cellular damage) and increased protective antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase.
Summary
This review examined how molecular hydrogen (a gas) might protect heart tissue from damage caused by radiation exposure. Researchers tested hydrogen in rat hearts and found it increased natural antioxidant defenses (proteins that protect cells from damage) and reduced harmful chemical reactions caused by radiation. The study suggests hydrogen may work by activating a cellular pathway that strengthens the body's built-in protection systems.
Practical Takeaway
While these results in animal models are promising, this is a review of laboratory and animal research, not human studies. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before hydrogen water could be recommended for radiation protection. The findings suggest a potential mechanism worth investigating further, but do not yet support any health claims for consumers.
Abstract
Uncontrolled production of oxygen and nitrogen radicals results in oxidative and nitrosative stresses that impair cellular functions and have been regarded as causative common denominators of many pathological processes. In this review, we report on the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen in scavenging radicals in an artificial system of •OH formation. As a proof of principle, we also demonstrate that in rat hearts in vivo, administration of molecular hydrogen led to a significant increase in superoxide dismutase as well as pAKT, a cell survival signaling molecule. Irradiation of the rats caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, which was mitigated by pre-treatment of the animals with molecular hydrogen. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 is regarded as an important regulator of oxyradical homeostasis, as well as it supports the functional integrity of cells, particularly under conditions of oxidative stress. We suggest that the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen may be through the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway that promotes innate antioxidants and reduction of apoptosis, as well as inflammation.