Hydrogen Water Boosted Radiation Protection in Mice
Radio-protective effect of hydrogen rich water combined with amifostine in mice
Research hubs: Immune System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- X. Qin, J. Yin, J. Li, Q. An, J. Wen, Q. Niu
- Journal
- Internatuinal Journal of Radiation Research
- Year
- 2016
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- hydrogen rich water administered intragastrically prior to 9.0 Gy whole body irradiation
- Duration
- 30 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 3 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water and receiving an injection of the drug amifostine before exposure to radiation improves survival and recovery in mice better than either treatment alone.
Key Finding
Mice treated with both hydrogen-rich water and amifostine before radiation exposure had higher 30-day survival rates and better recovery of their blood-forming systems compared to either treatment alone.
Summary
Researchers gave mice hydrogen-rich water and/or amifostine (a drug that protects against radiation damage) before exposing them to high-dose radiation. Mice that received both treatments together survived better, maintained body weight better, and recovered faster than mice given either treatment alone or no treatment. The combination appeared to work by reducing harmful molecules called hydroxyl radicals and helping the blood-forming system recover from radiation damage.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen-rich water may work together with existing radiation-protective drugs to reduce radiation damage. However, this was only tested in mice, not humans, so it's unclear whether the same benefit would occur in people undergoing radiotherapy. Anyone considering hydrogen water as a complement to cancer treatment should discuss it with their oncologist first.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Hydrogen has been demonstrated can selectively reduce the hydroxyl, which is the main cause of ionizing radiation-induced damage. Amifostine (AM) is the only radioprotective drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in radiotherapy. The purpose of the present study…