Scientists Prove Hydrogen Gas Acts as Powerful Antioxidant in Living Cells
- Authors
- Radomir Hyspler, Alena Ticha, Henk Schierbeek, Alexander Galkin, Zdenek Zadak
- Journal
- PLoS One
- Year
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0130687
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Czech Republic
- Health Condition
- Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Cellular
TL;DR
Hydrogen gas has been shown to act as an effective antioxidant in rats, reducing harmful oxidative stress without being affected by low oxygen or toxins, and could be a cheap and safe supplement for patients with certain diseases.
Key Finding
Approximately 10% of administered hydrogen underwent oxidation in rats, and hydrogen significantly reduced superoxide formation in mitochondrial respiratory chain Complex I in laboratory experiments.
Summary
Researchers used a special form of hydrogen (deuterium) to track how the body processes molecular hydrogen in rats. They found that about 10% of the hydrogen was oxidized (chemically broken down) in the body, and in laboratory tests, hydrogen reduced the production of harmful molecules called superoxides in mitochondria (the energy-producing parts of cells). The study suggests hydrogen may work as an antioxidant, but the research was conducted in animals, not humans.
Practical Takeaway
This animal study provides early evidence that molecular hydrogen may have antioxidant effects in the body. However, because this research was conducted only in rats and in laboratory conditions, it cannot yet confirm whether these effects would occur in humans or translate to health benefits. More human studies would be needed to determine whether hydrogen water has practical value for consumers.
Abstract
Purpose: Despite the significant interest in molecular hydrogen as an antioxidant in the last eight years, its quantitative metabolic parameters in vivo are still lacking, as is an appropriate method for determination of hydrogen effectivity in the mammalian organism under various conditions. Basic procedures: Intraperitoneally-applied deuterium gas was used as a metabolic tracer and deuterium enrichment was determined in the body water pool. Also, in vitro experiments were performed using bovine heart submitochondrial particles to evaluate superoxide formation in Complex I of the respiratory chain. Main findings: A significant oxidation of about 10% of the applied dose was found under physiological conditions in rats, proving its antioxidant properties. Hypoxia or endotoxin application did not exert any effect, whilst pure oxygen inhalation reduced deuterium oxidation. During in vitro experiments, a significant reduction of superoxide formation by Complex I of the respiratory chain was found under the influence of hydrogen. The possible molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effects of hydrogen are discussed, with an emphasis on the role of iron sulphur clusters in reactive oxygen species generation and on iron species-dihydrogen interaction. Principal conclusions: According to our findings, hydrogen may be an efficient, non-toxic, highly bioavailable and low-cost antioxidant supplement for patients with pathological conditions involving ROS-induced oxidative stress.