Hydrogen Water Protects Eyes from Space-Like Conditions in Rats
- Authors
- Yuxue Mu, Weihang Li, Dongyu Wei, Xinyi Zhang, Lilingxuan Yao, Xiaofeng Xu, Xiaocheng Wang, Zuoming Zhang, Tao Chen
- Journal
- Life Sciences in Space Research
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.lssr.2025.03.004
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome
- Body System
- Visual
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water may protect astronauts' eyes from damage caused by the weightlessness experienced in space.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water treatment reversed retinal degeneration and improved visual function in rats exposed to simulated weightlessness, working through cellular pathways that reduce oxidative stress and improve mitochondrial function.
Summary
Researchers studied whether hydrogen-rich water could protect rat eyes from damage caused by simulated weightlessness (using a tail-suspension model for 8 weeks). They found that simulated weightlessness thinned a critical layer of the retina (the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye), reduced vision, and caused inflammation and cellular damage. Rats given hydrogen-rich water showed improvement in retinal structure, vision, and reduced inflammation compared to untreated rats.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen-rich water may help protect eyes from microgravity-related damage—a concern for astronauts. However, this was conducted only in rats using a simulated weightlessness model, not actual spaceflight, and no human studies have been performed. Much more research would be needed before any conclusions about human benefit could be drawn.
Abstract
Long-term spaceflight can lead to changes in eye structure and decreased visual function. At present, there are almost no effective methods to prevent and treat eye damage caused by microgravity environments. Oxidative stress has been identified as one of the contributing mechanisms of spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), and hydrogen (H2) has demonstrated significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to determine whether hydrogen-rich water (HRW) has a protective effect against eye injury induced by tail-suspension simulated weightlessness in rats, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In this experiment, we utilized an 8-week tail-suspension model to simulate weightlessness, and employed histopathology, visual electrophysiology, and biochemical indices to evaluate retinal structure, function, and related molecular mechanisms leading to retinal damage. We also assessed the therapeutic efficacy of HRW treatment. Results demonstrated that tail-suspension simulated weightlessness induced thinning of the retinal outer nuclear layer, decreased visual function, and promoted retinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in rats. HRW treatment effectively alleviated the degenerative changes in the retinal outer nuclear layer, improved retinal function, and reduced retinal inflammation in treated rats. Our findings revealed that HRW reduced the retinal oxidative stress response and enhanced mitochondrial function through the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Overall, HRW may be a promising candidate for the treatment of eye injuries in simulated microgravity environments.