Hydrogen Water Shows Promise for Treating Ulcerative Colitis in Rats
Protective effects of hydrogen-rich saline on ulcerative colitis rat model
Research hubs: Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Jinghu He, Shaohu Xiong, Jianquan Zhang, Junwu Wang, Aijun Sun, Xiang Mei, Xuejun Sun, Chuansen Zhang, Qiang Wang
- Journal
- Journal of Surgical Research
- Year
- 2013
- PMID
- 23773716
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 10 or 20 mL/kg hydrogen-rich saline, intraperitoneal injection, once every 2 days for 2 weeks
- Duration
- 2 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 23 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline injections helped reduce symptoms and intestinal damage in rats with a form of inflammatory bowel disease.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline reduced weight loss, diarrhea, and colon damage in rats with induced ulcerative colitis, with effects potentially mediated through antioxidant mechanisms.
Summary
Researchers gave rats a chemical to induce ulcerative colitis (a type of inflammatory bowel disease), then treated some rats with hydrogen-rich saline injections. The hydrogen-treated rats experienced less weight loss, less diarrhea, and less damage to their colon lining compared to untreated rats. The study suggests hydrogen may work by reducing harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and by affecting a growth factor involved in inflammation.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen-rich saline may have protective effects against ulcerative colitis symptoms in rats. However, results from rat studies do not automatically translate to humans, and no human trials have been conducted. More research, including human studies, would be needed before drawing conclusions about hydrogen water's potential benefits for people with ulcerative colitis.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species and altered angiogenesis. Molecular hydrogen has been documented as a novel antioxidant to treat various reactive oxygen species-related diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects…