Hydrogen Gas Promotes Wound Healing in Lab Cell Studies
Molecular hydrogen promotes wound healing by inducing early epidermal stem cell proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition
Research hubs: Skin & Dermatology System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (cell culture)
- Authors
- Pengxiang Zhao, Zheng Dang, Mengyu Liu, Dazhi Guo, Ruiliu Luo, Mingzi Zhang, Fei Xie, Xujuan Zhang, Youbin Wang, Shuyi Pan, Xuemei Ma
- Journal
- Inflammation and Regeneration
- Year
- 2023
- PMID
- 36973725
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 66% H2 in treatment chamber applied to cutaneous aseptic wound model
- H₂ concentration
- 66% H2 gas
- Duration
- 11 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 45 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Treating wounds with high concentrations of hydrogen gas significantly speeds up healing by promoting skin cell growth and the rebuilding of skin structure without relying on oxygen or anti-oxidative effects.
Key Finding
Wounds treated with 66% hydrogen gas healed approximately 3 times faster than control wounds, with accelerated epidermal stem cell activation and early deposition of structural proteins essential for tissue repair.
Summary
Researchers tested whether molecular hydrogen gas could speed up wound healing in a laboratory model. They found that exposing wounds to high-concentration hydrogen gas (66%) dramatically accelerated healing—wounds closed about 3 times faster than untreated wounds. The hydrogen appeared to work by activating stem cells in the skin and promoting the buildup of structural proteins that form new tissue, rather than through the antioxidant (damage-fighting) effects that hydrogen is typically known for.
Practical Takeaway
While this laboratory study suggests hydrogen gas may have wound-healing potential, it was conducted in a controlled cell culture model, not in humans or even live animals. The very high hydrogen concentration used (66%) is not comparable to hydrogen water or other consumer products. Significant additional research, including animal and human studies, would be needed before any practical applications could be recommended.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Despite progress in developing wound care strategies, there is currently no treatment that promotes the self-tissue repair capabilities. H2 has been shown to effectively protect cells and tissues from oxidative and inflammatory damage. While comprehensive effects and how H2 functions…