Hydrogen Supplements Improve Dry Eyes and Tear Production
- Authors
- Miyuki Kubota, Motoko Kawashima, Sachiko Inoue, Toshihiro Imada, Shigeru Nakamura, Shunsuke Kubota, Mitsuhiro Watanabe, Ryo Takemura, Kazuo Tsubota
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41598-021-85895-y
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Dry Eye Disease
- Body System
- Ocular
TL;DR
Molecular hydrogen (H2) supplements could be a new effective treatment for dry eye disease, improving tear stability and reducing symptoms.
Key Finding
A small human trial of 10 subjects found that molecular hydrogen supplements significantly improved tear stability and reduced dry eye symptoms, while also increasing tear secretion in mouse models of dry eye disease.
Summary
Researchers tested whether molecular hydrogen (H2)—a gas that can be generated by special supplements—could help treat dry eye disease, which affects many people as they age or spend more time on screens. In a small study of 10 people and in mice, those given H2-generating supplements showed improved tear production, more stable tear layers, and reduced dry eye symptoms. The treatment appeared to work safely and may address both the tear instability and inflammation that cause dry eye disease.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage study suggests that hydrogen-generating supplements may help with dry eye symptoms, but the human trial was very small (only 10 people) and more research is needed to confirm effectiveness and determine the best dosing. Anyone considering this approach should consult their eye care provider, especially since larger clinical trials are still needed.
Abstract
AbstractThe incidence of dry eye disease is increasing worldwide because of the aging population and increasing use of information technology. Dry eye disease manifests as tear-layer instability and inflammation caused by osmotic hypersensitization in tear fluids; however, to our knowledge, no agent that treats both pathologies simultaneously is available. Molecular hydrogen (H2) is known to be effective against various diseases; therefore, we aimed to elucidate the effects of H2 on tear dynamics and the treatment of dry eye disease. We revealed that administering a persistent H2-generating supplement increased the human exhaled H2 concentration (p < 0.01) and improved tear stability (p < 0.01) and dry eye symptoms (p < 0.05) significantly. Furthermore, H2 significantly increased tear secretion in healthy mice (p < 0.05) and significantly suppressed tear reduction in a murine dry eye model (p = 0.007). H2 significantly and safely improved tear stability and dry eye symptoms in a small exploratory group of 10 human subjects, a subset of whom reported dry eye symptoms prior to treatment. Furthermore, it increased tear secretion rapidly in normal mice. Therefore, H2 may be a safe and effective new treatment for dry eye disease and thus larger trials are warranted.