Hydrogen Therapy Combined with Exercise Helps Seniors with Muscle Loss
- Authors
- Yuusuke Harada, Ryoko Okamura, Junpei Sawano, Nao Koide, Michiko Miyakawa
- Journal
- Cureus
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.7759/cureus.79516
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Sarcopenia
- Body System
- Musculoskeletal
TL;DR
A combined approach of exercise, diet advice, and breathing in hydrogen gas improved muscle strength and walking speed in an elderly woman, while also making it easier for her caregiver.
Key Finding
A three-month multimodal intervention combining exercise, nutrition, and hydrogen gas inhalation improved grip strength, walking speed, and reduced inflammatory markers in one older adult with suspected sarcopenia, while also substantially reducing caregiver burden.
Summary
This case study followed one older woman with suspected sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) who received a three-month program combining exercise, nutritional guidance, and hydrogen gas inhalation. After three months, she showed improvements in grip strength and walking speed, had lower levels of inflammation and oxidative stress markers (signs of cellular damage), and her caregiver reported significantly less burden and stress.
Practical Takeaway
While this case study suggests that hydrogen gas inhalation combined with exercise and nutrition may support physical function in older adults, it involved only one person and cannot show whether hydrogen itself was responsible for the improvements. The study authors themselves note that further controlled research is needed to determine hydrogen's independent effects.
Abstract
The objective of this exploratory case study was to examine the impact of a multifaceted intervention, which incorporated exercise therapy, nutritional guidance, and hydrogen gas inhalation, on the physical function and caregiver burden of an older female patient suspected of having sarcopenia. The methods employed included a three-month program of group exercise and individualized exercise sessions, three times per week, in addition to nutritional guidance and hydrogen gas inhalation therapy. The primary outcome measures included grip strength, walking speed, inflammatory/oxidative stress markers (c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)), and caregiver burden, which was assessed by the Family Caregiver Burden Scale (FCS). The results demonstrated that after a period of three months, there was an improvement in grip strength and walking speed. Concurrently, there was a decrease in CRP, IL-6, and 8-OHdG levels. The FCS score demonstrated a shift from the "severe" range to the "normal" range, suggesting a reduction in caregiver burden. The findings of this case study suggest that a multidisciplinary, multifaceted intervention combining exercise therapy, nutritional support, and hydrogen gas inhalation may be effective in enhancing physical function and reducing caregiver burden in older adults with suspected sarcopenia. However, further research is necessary to clarify the independent effects of hydrogen gas inhalation.