Hydrogen Water Protects Liver During Colorectal Cancer Treatment
- Authors
- Qingxi Yang, Guangdong Ji, Rongtao Pan, Yinghui Zhao, Peng Yan
- Journal
- Molecular and Clinical Oncology
- Year
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.3892/mco.2017.1409
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Colorectal Cancer
- Body System
- Hepatic
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may help protect the liver from damage in patients undergoing a specific type of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.
Key Finding
Colorectal cancer patients who drank hydrogen-rich water during mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy showed no significant increase in liver enzyme levels, while those who received placebo showed significantly elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin.
Summary
This study tested whether drinking hydrogen-rich water could protect the liver from damage caused by a common chemotherapy drug (mFOLFOX6) used to treat colorectal cancer. Researchers gave 76 colorectal cancer patients hydrogen-rich water and 60 patients a placebo (inactive liquid) during their chemotherapy treatment. They measured liver damage by checking blood levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST) and bilirubin (a substance the liver processes). Patients who drank hydrogen-rich water showed no significant increase in these liver damage markers, while the placebo group showed significant increases, suggesting the hydrogen-rich water may have protected their livers.
Practical Takeaway
This human trial suggests hydrogen-rich water may help reduce chemotherapy-related liver damage in colorectal cancer patients, though the study had some limitations (relatively small sample size, single-blind design). Anyone undergoing chemotherapy should discuss any supplemental interventions with their oncologist before use, as this single study is not sufficient to establish hydrogen-rich water as a standard protective measure.
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on the liver function of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy. A controlled, randomized, single-blind clinical trial was designed. A total of 152 patients with CRC were recruited by the Department of Oncology of Taishan Hospital (Taian, China) between June 2010 and February 2016, among whom 146 met the inclusion criteria. Subsequently, 144 patients were randomized into the treatment (n=80) and placebo (n=64) groups. At the end of the study, 76 patients in the hydrogen treatment group and 60 patients in the placebo group were included in the final analysis. The changes in liver function after the chemotherapy, such as altered levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, indirect bilirubin (IBIL) and direct bilirubin, were observed. The damaging effects of the mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy on liver function were mainly represented by increased ALT, AST and IBIL levels. The hydrogen-rich water group exhibited no significant differences in liver function before and after treatment, whereas the placebo group exhibited significantly elevated levels of ALT, AST and IBIL. Thus, hydrogen-rich water appeared to alleviate the mFOLFOX6-related liver injury.