Hydrogen Water Prevents Bone Loss in Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis Study
- Authors
- Marta Carnobali, Giuseppe Banfi, Massimo Mariotti
- Journal
- Antioxidants
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.3390/antiox12020345
- Study Type
- Zebrafish
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Italy
- Health Condition
- Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis
- Body System
- Skeletal System
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water can help prevent bone loss by stopping bone-eating cells from becoming too active, but it doesn't help rebuild bone or stop bone-building cells from being suppressed.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water prevented bone loss by specifically blocking osteoclast activation in steroid-treated zebrafish scales, but did not restore bone-building activity or repair existing bone damage.
Summary
Researchers used zebrafish scales to test whether hydrogen-rich water could prevent bone loss caused by a steroid drug (prednisolone). They found that hydrogen-rich water blocked the activity of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone), preventing bone loss. However, it did not restore the activity of osteoblasts (cells that build bone) or repair bone damage that had already occurred.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage zebrafish study suggests hydrogen-rich water may help prevent bone loss in steroid-induced osteoporosis, but only as a preventive measure—not for repairing damage or promoting bone growth. Because this is a fish model study, much more research in humans would be needed before drawing any conclusions about its usefulness for people.
Abstract
Antioxidants represent a powerful tool for many human diseases and, in particular, molecular hydrogen has unique characteristics that make it a very promising therapeutic agent against osteoporosis. Zebrafish scales offer an innovative model in which new therapeutic approaches against secondary osteoporosis are tested. Scale bone loss obtained by prednisolone (PN) treatment is characterized by increased osteoclast activity and decreased osteoblast activity highlighted with bone enzymatic assays. We used this read-out system to test the therapeutic effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW), an innovative antioxidant approach. HRW prevented osteoclast activation and bone loss in PN-treated fish scales, as verified by both biochemical and histochemical tartrate-resistant alkaline phosphatase assays. On the other hand, HRW treatment did not prevent PN-dependent osteoblast suppression, as measured by alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, HRW treatment did not facilitate the reparation of resorption lacunae induced in scales by PN. Our study highlighted a specific effect of HRW on adult osteoclast activity but not in osteoblasts, introducing an intriguing new antioxidant preventive approach against osteoporosis.