Hydrogen Gas Protects Cancer Patients from Radiation Bone Marrow Damage
Protective effects of hydrogen gas inhalation on radiation-induced bone marrow damage in cancer patients
Research hubs: Immune System
- Evidence type
- Controlled trial (non-randomized) · Human study
- Authors
- Shin-Ichi Hirano, Yukimasa Aoki, Xiao-Kang Li, Naotsugu Ichimaru, Shiro Takahara, Yoshiyasu Takefuji
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2021
- PMID
- 33942780
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 23
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 5% H2 gas inhalation for 30 minutes once per day after each IMRT session for 1 to 4 weeks
- H₂ concentration
- 5% H2 gas
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Funding
- No external funding declared
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 31 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Inhaling hydrogen gas can reduce the damage to bone marrow caused by a type of cancer treatment called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), without affecting the treatment's ability to fight tumors.
Key Finding
Cancer patients who inhaled hydrogen gas after radiation therapy experienced significantly less depletion of white blood cells and platelets compared to those receiving standard oxygen therapy, without reducing the effectiveness of the radiation treatment against tumors.
Summary
This study looked at whether inhaling hydrogen gas could protect bone marrow (the tissue that makes blood cells) from damage caused by radiation therapy in cancer patients. Researchers compared 16 cancer patients who inhaled 5% hydrogen gas after each radiation treatment to 7 patients who received standard oxygen therapy. They found that patients receiving hydrogen gas had less damage to white blood cells and platelets (cells that help with clotting) compared to the control group, while tumor response to radiation remained similar in both groups.
Practical Takeaway
This small, observational study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect blood-forming bone marrow during cancer radiation therapy. However, the study had only 23 total patients and was conducted at a single clinic, so larger, controlled trials would be needed to confirm these findings before hydrogen gas could be recommended as a standard protective treatment alongside radiation therapy.
Abstract (excerpt)
Although intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has been developed as an alternative to conventional radiotherapy, reducing bone marrow damage is limited. Thus, a novel technology is needed to further mitigate IMRT-induced bone marrow damage. Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) was recently reported…