Hydrogen Water Improves Vision in Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients
- Authors
- Xiaohong Chen, Yanjian Chen, Xingchui Lin, Qian Ye, Sheng Zhang, Yunpeng Wang, Meizhu Chen, Weiming Yan
- Journal
- Heliyon
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20671
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Body System
- Visual
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water for a month slightly improved the vision of patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease, although it did not change the thickness of the retina or choroid.
Key Finding
After four weeks of drinking hydrogen-rich water, patients with retinitis pigmentosa showed statistically significant improvements in visual acuity and in electrical activity of the retina (measured by electroretinogram), though the thickness of retinal structures did not change.
Summary
Researchers gave 13 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (a progressive eye disease that causes vision loss) hydrogen-rich water to drink twice daily for four weeks. They measured changes in vision and electrical activity in the eye. The study found that drinking hydrogen-rich water led to modest improvements in visual acuity (sharpness of vision) and in electrical signals from the retina (the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye), but did not change the thickness of the retina or the layer beneath it.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests hydrogen-rich water may provide modest functional benefits for retinitis pigmentosa patients, possibly through antioxidant effects. However, the study was short-term (four weeks) with only 13 patients, so larger and longer studies would be needed to confirm whether these improvements persist and whether they translate to meaningful real-world benefits for vision.
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of hydrogen in the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients through the drinking of hydrogen-rich water (HRW). Methods: RP patients clinically diagnosed in our hospital were selected and given HRW for drinking at 400-500 ml twice a day for four consecutive weeks. Changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, the retinal thickness, and choroidal thickness, as well as the amplitude and peak time of visual electrophysiological examinations before and after HRW drinking were observed. Data were statistically analyzed. Results: In total, 24 eyes of 13 patients with RP (3 males and 10 females aged-27-65 years old, were enrolled in the study. The BCVA after HRW drinking was 0.34 ± 0.25, which was statistically improved compared with that before (P 0.05). The amplitudes of the b-wave in Dark-adaptation 0.01 response, a and b waves in Dark-adaptation 3.0 response, the Dark-adaptation Ops total wave, a and b waves in Light-adaptation 3.0 response, and the Light-adaptation Flicker response of electroretinogram (ERG) were significantly higher than those before HRW drinking (all P 0.05), while the data from the 15' PVEP were statistically different (P 0.05). Conclusion: Short-term HRW drinking slightly improved visual function in patients with primary RP, whereas no significant improvement was found in the thickness of the retina and choroid. Keywords: Choroid; Electrophysiology; Hydrogen-rich water; Retina; Retinitis pigmentosa.