IV Hydrogen Saline Doesn't Work - Study Shows Lungs Block Delivery
- Authors
- Masaki Shibuya, Masafumi Fujinaka, Mako Yonezawa, Natsumi Nishimura, Hitoshi Uchinoumi, Hiroshi Sunahara, Kenji Tani, Eiji Kobayashi, Motoaki Sano
- Journal
- Biomedicines
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3390/biomedicines13010234
- Study Type
- Pig
- Outcome
- Neutral
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- General therapeutic applications
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Researchers found that hydrogen gas can be safely added to intravenous saline solutions, but most of it is removed from the blood by the lungs before it can reach the rest of the body.
Key Finding
Intravenous hydrogen-saturated saline is clinically ineffective because nearly all hydrogen is expelled through the lungs during pulmonary circulation and does not reach systemic arterial circulation.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen gas could be safely mixed into intravenous saline solution and delivered to pigs' bloodstreams. They found that while hydrogen could be safely added to the saline without contamination or chemical changes, almost all of the hydrogen was eliminated through the lungs during circulation and never reached the systemic blood supply, making this delivery method ineffective for therapeutic use.
Practical Takeaway
This animal study suggests that delivering hydrogen through intravenous saline may not be a viable method for getting hydrogen into the body, since the lungs eliminate it before it can reach tissues. This finding is limited to pig studies and does not directly apply to humans, but it indicates that other hydrogen delivery methods (such as inhaled hydrogen gas or hydrogen-rich water) may be more promising for future research.
Abstract
Background: Hydrogen gas (H2) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of various clinical conditions, from acute illnesses to chronic illnesses. However, its clinical indications and the corresponding appropriate hydrogen delivery methods have yet to be determined. This is due to the fact that the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of hydrogen in each delivery method have not been experimentally proven. Here, we verified the pharmacokinetics of hydrogen after the infusion of hydrogen-saturated saline. Methods: Hydrogen-saturated saline was prepared and checked for sterility and component specifications. Hydrogen-saturated saline was administered intravenously (125 mL/h) through the left internal jugular vein of pigs, and the blood hydrogen concentration was measured over time. Results: It was confirmed that hydrogen can be safely mixed under pressure into intravenous solutions (pharmaceutical products) without the contamination of foreign substances by using a needle-less vial access cannula. No change in the PH or composition of the solution was observed due to hydrogen filling. The hydrogen concentrations of blood samples collected from the left internal jugular vein 3 cm to the heart from the tip of the infusion line were 6.4 (30 min), 4.7 (60 min), 4.9 (90 min), and 5.3 (120 min) ppb w/w, respectively. The hydrogen concentrations of blood samples collected from the right atrium were 0.7 (30 min), 0.5 (60 min), 0.7 (90 min), and 0.7 (120 min) ppb, respectively. The hydrogen concentration of blood samples collected from the right internal carotid artery were 0.1 (pre), 0.2 (30 min), 0.3 (60 min), 0.0 (90 min), and 0.0 (120 min) ppb w/w, respectively. Conclusions: We confirmed that hydrogen could be safely pressurized and filled into intravenous (pharmaceutical) solution without contamination by foreign objects using a needle-free vial access cannula. When saturated hydrogen saline was dripped intravenously, almost all of the hydrogen was expelled during its passage through the lungs and could not be supplied to the arterial side.