Hydrogen Therapy Shows Promise for Brain Injuries and Stroke
- Authors
- Jan M. Eckermann, Paul R. Krafft, Lorelei Shoemaker, Robert E. Lieberson, Steven D. Chang, Austin Colohan
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2012
- DOI
- 10.1186/2045-9912-2-11
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Scientists found that hydrogen gas or liquid might help protect the brain from damage caused by injuries, strokes, and other brain problems by reducing harmful chemicals in the brain. This is exciting because it could become a helpful extra treatment to add to existing medical care, but doctors need to do more research before they can use it on patients.
Key Finding
Preclinical studies suggest hydrogen administration may provide neuroprotective (brain-protecting) effects across multiple types of acute brain injury, primarily through antioxidant mechanisms (reducing harmful chemical damage).
Summary
This article reviewed research studies on using hydrogen (given as a gas or liquid) to treat brain injuries from trauma, surgery, stroke, and oxygen deprivation in newborns. Most studies showed that hydrogen appeared to protect brain cells, likely by reducing harmful chemical reactions in the brain. However, researchers still need to understand exactly how hydrogen works and whether it actually helps patients in real-world settings.
Practical Takeaway
This is a review of early laboratory and animal studies only—not human trials—so it's too soon to know if hydrogen water or hydrogen gas would actually help people with brain injuries. The evidence is promising enough to warrant further research, but clinical trials in humans are needed before any health claims can be made.
Abstract
This article summarized findings of current preclinical studies that implemented hydrogen administration, either in the gas or liquid form, as treatment application for neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury (TBI), surgically induced brain injury (SBI), stroke, and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain insult (HI). Most reviewed studies demonstrated neuroprotective effects of hydrogen administration. Even though anti-oxidative potentials have been reported in several studies, further neuroprotective mechanisms of hydrogen therapy remain to be elucidated. Hydrogen may serve as an adjunct treatment for neurological disorders.