How Inhaled Hydrogen Gas Moves Through the Body in Pigs
Pharmacokinetics of a single inhalation of hydrogen gas in pigs
Research hubs: Respiratory System · Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- Motoaki Sano, Genki Ichihara, Yoshinori Katsumata, Takahiro Hiraide, Akeo Hirai, Mizuki Momoi, Tomoyoshi Tamura, Shigeo Ohata, Eiji Kobayashi
- Journal
- PLoS One
- Year
- 2020
- PMID
- 32559239
- Study Type
- Pig
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- Single inhalation of 100% H2 gas filling lungs to maximum inspiratory level, breath held for 30 seconds
- H₂ concentration
- 100% H2
- Outcome
- Neutral
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 40 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Scientists have discovered how hydrogen gas moves and breaks down in the body after being inhaled by using a new method in pigs.
Key Finding
Inhaled hydrogen gas is rapidly absorbed through the lungs into arterial blood within seconds, with peak concentrations dropping to very low levels within 3 minutes, but then redistributing to venous blood and tissues where it persists for at least 60 minutes.
Summary
Researchers used pigs to study what happens when hydrogen gas is inhaled into the lungs. They filled the lungs with pure hydrogen gas and then tracked where it went in the body by measuring hydrogen levels in blood samples taken from different blood vessels over 60 minutes. The hydrogen was quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, peaked immediately after inhalation, and then spread throughout the body, with some hydrogen still detectable in certain blood vessels an hour later.
Practical Takeaway
This is an animal study (in pigs) that maps out the basic path hydrogen gas takes through the body after inhalation—useful foundational information for researchers. However, pig physiology differs from human physiology, and this study does not measure any health effects or benefits. Much more research, including human studies, would be needed to understand whether inhaled hydrogen has practical health applications.
Abstract (excerpt)
The benefits of inhaling hydrogen gas (H2) have been widely reported but its pharmacokinetics have not yet been sufficiently analyzed. We developed a new experimental system in pigs to closely evaluate the process by which H2 is absorbed in the lungs, enters the bloodstream, and is distributed…