Fiber-Rich Foods Boosted Hydrogen Production and Reduced Liver Injury in Rats
Pectin and high-amylose maize starch increase caecal hydrogen production and relieve hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats
Research hubs: Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Naomichi Nishimura, Hiroki Tanabe, Yumi Sasaki, Yui Makita, Misako Ohata, Saori Yokoyama, Mami Asano, Tatsuro Yamamoto, Shuhachi Kiriyama
- Journal
- British Journal of Nutrition
- Year
- 2011
- PMID
- 21762543
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- Pectin (0-5%) or high-amylose maize starch (0-30%) supplementation for 7 days
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 39 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Eating high-fiber foods that increase hydrogen production in the gut may help reduce liver damage caused by a temporary loss of blood supply followed by its restoration.
Key Finding
Dietary pectin and high-amylose maize starch increased intestinal hydrogen production and significantly reduced liver damage from ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by lowering oxidative stress markers and restoring antioxidant balance.
Summary
Researchers fed rats diets supplemented with pectin or high-amylose maize starch (types of dietary fiber and resistant starch) to see if they could protect the liver from injury caused by temporarily cutting off and then restoring blood flow. These foods increased hydrogen gas production in the rats' intestines and reduced markers of liver damage, while also improving the balance of protective antioxidant molecules in liver tissue.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests that hydrogen-generating dietary fibers may have liver-protective properties through endogenous hydrogen production. However, this is early animal research; human studies would be needed to determine if similar effects occur in people, and the findings cannot yet be applied to health recommendations.
Abstract (excerpt)
We investigated whether the feeding of high H2-generating dietary fibre and resistant starch (RS) could suppress hepatic ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, which results from oxidative stress, in rats fed a pectin (Pec) or high-amylose maize starch (HAS) diet. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed…