Hydrogen Therapy Reduces Gum Inflammation Caused by Harmful Bacteria
- Authors
- Yasukazu Saitoh, Nene Yonekura, Daigo Matsuoka, Akira Matsumoto
- Journal
- Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11010-021-04262-7
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Periodontitis
- Body System
- Oral Health
TL;DR
Hydrogen gas can reduce inflammation in gum disease by lowering the levels of harmful inflammation markers without causing cell damage.
Key Finding
Molecular hydrogen significantly suppressed the production of two major inflammatory markers (IL-1α and IL-6) in human gum cells exposed to bacterial toxins, without causing cell damage.
Summary
Periodontitis is a serious gum infection caused by bacteria that triggers inflammation. Researchers tested whether molecular hydrogen (H2)—a gas with antioxidant properties—could reduce inflammatory markers in human gum cells exposed to a toxin from Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontitis-causing bacterium. The study found that hydrogen significantly reduced the production of two key inflammatory proteins (IL-1α and IL-6) without harming the cells.
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests hydrogen water may have anti-inflammatory effects relevant to gum disease, but it was conducted in isolated human cells rather than in living people. Much more research—including human clinical trials—would be needed to determine whether hydrogen water could actually help treat or prevent periodontitis in real patients.
Abstract
Periodontitis is defined as a multifactorial polymicrobial infection accompanied by inflammatory reactions. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is known as a major pathogen in the initiation and progression of periodontitis, and a major virulence factor is Pg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Molecular hydrogen (H2) has been reported to act as a gaseous antioxidant, which suppresses periodontitis progression by decreasing gingival oxidative stress. However, no human periodontitis model has examined the anti-inflammatory effects of H2. In this study, we examined the effects of H2 on Pg LPS-induced secretion of 8 types of inflammation markers in a human periodontitis model using human gingival cells with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Our results demonstrated that Pg LPS increased interleukin (IL) 1 alpha (IL-1α) and IL-6 secretion, but H2 significantly suppressed the secretion of both cytokines without cytotoxicity. H2 can suppress the production of IL-1α and IL-6, which are identified as cytokines involved in inflammatory reactions in periodontal disease. Thus, H2 may provide therapeutic applications for periodontitis.