Hydrogen Water During Pregnancy May Help Babies with Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Authors
- Mayo Miura, Kenji Imai, Hiroyuki Tsuda, Rika Miki, Sho Tano, Yumiko Ito, Shima Hirako-Takamura, Yoshinori Moriyama, Takafumi Ushida, Yukako Iitani, Tomoko Nakano-Kobayashi, Shinya Toyokuni, Hiroaki Kajiyama, Tomomi Kotani
- Journal
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.3390/ijms22179500
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water during pregnancy improved lung development and function in rat pups with a lung condition similar to a human birth defect.
Key Finding
Prenatal hydrogen-rich water administration improved respiratory function and reduced oxidative stress in rat fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, with better blood gas measurements and more normal lung development compared to untreated animals.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-rich water could help treat congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a birth defect where part of the diaphragm—the muscle that helps you breathe—doesn't form properly. Researchers gave pregnant rats hydrogen-rich water and then examined their offspring with CDH. The treated group showed better blood oxygen levels, improved lung development, and less cellular damage from oxidative stress (harmful chemical reactions in cells) compared to untreated CDH rats.
Practical Takeaway
While these results are promising, this is an animal study in rats only—not humans. The authors suggest hydrogen therapy might one day help pregnant women carrying fetuses with diagnosed CDH, but human clinical trials would be needed to determine if it is safe and effective in pregnancy. This remains early-stage research.
Abstract (excerpt)
Oxidative stress plays a pathological role in pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study investigated the effect of molecular hydrogen (H2), an antioxidant, on CDH pathology induced by nitrofen. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three…