How Hydrogen Medicine Became a New Field of Medical Treatment
The Power of Hydrogen Molecules Uncovered
Research hubs: Oxidative Stress
- Evidence type
- Review or commentary
- Authors
- Yuh Fukai
- Journal
- Molecular Hydrogen for Medicine
- Year
- 2020
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 0 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Scientists discovered that hydrogen gas can actually help heal the body by fighting inflammation and damage from harmful molecules, which could lead to new treatments for lots of different diseases.
Summary
In 2007, researchers led by Ohsawa published landmark research that fundamentally changed medicine by proving molecular hydrogen has genuine therapeutic effects. This study established Molecular Hydrogen Medicine as an entirely new medical discipline. The research demonstrated that hydrogen molecules can provide physiological benefits and therapeutic effects in the human body. Prior to this study, only scattered reports existed about hydrogen's potential. This seminal work provided clear scientific evidence and opened new possibilities for hydrogen-based treatments across various medical conditions, marking the beginning of a new era in therapeutic medicine.
Abstract (excerpt)
After some sporadic reports, a seminal paper of Ohsawa et al. (Nat. Med. 13:688–694, 2007) was published that clearly demonstrated physiological and therapeutic effects of molecular hydrogen (MH), and opened a new area of medicine to be called Molecular Hydrogen Medicine (MHM).