Hydrogen IV Therapy Reduces Arthritis Pain and Inflammation in Study
- Authors
- Toru Ishibashi, Bunpei Sato, Shinji Shibata, Takaaki Sakai, Yuichi Hara, Yuji Naritomi, Samon Koyanagi, Hiroshi Hara, Tetsuhiko Nagao
- Journal
- International Immunopharmacology
- Year
- 2014
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.intimp.2014.06.001
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Body System
- Musculoskeletal
TL;DR
Infusing saline with dissolved hydrogen gas (H2-saline) into the bloodstream reduced symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis safely and effectively.
Key Finding
Patients who received intravenous hydrogen-infused saline showed a 28% decrease in disease activity scores over 4 weeks and a 37% reduction in IL-6 (an inflammatory marker), while the placebo group showed no improvement or worsening.
Summary
This small study tested whether hydrogen-infused saline given intravenously could help people with rheumatoid arthritis (a disease where the immune system attacks joints). Twenty-four patients received either hydrogen-infused saline or placebo saline daily for 5 days. The hydrogen group showed improvements in disease activity scores and reductions in inflammatory markers (proteins in the blood that indicate inflammation) after 4 weeks, while the placebo group did not improve.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage pilot study suggests hydrogen-infused saline may help reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and inflammation, but the sample size was very small (24 patients) and it involved intravenous infusion rather than drinking hydrogen water. Larger, longer studies are needed before any conclusions can be drawn about hydrogen as a treatment for RA.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of H2-saline infusion for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the infusion of 1 ppm H2-dissolved saline (H2-saline) in 24 RA patients. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive 500 ml of either H2-saline or placebo-saline, which was drop infused intravenously (DIV) daily for 5 days. The disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) was measured at baseline, immediately post infusion, and after 4 weeks. Therapeutic effects of H2-saline on joint inflammation were estimated by measuring serum biomarkers for RA, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). In the H2-infused group, average DAS28 decreased from 5.18 ± 1.16 to 4.02 ± 1.25 immediately post infusion and reached 3.74 ± 1.22 after 4 weeks. No significant decrease in DAS28 was observed in the placebo group throughout the study. IL-6 levels in the H2 group significantly decreased in 4 weeks by 37.3 ± 62.0% compared to baseline, whereas it increased by 33.6 ± 34.4% in the placebo group. TNFα levels did not change remarkably in the H2 or placebo groups in 4 weeks post-infusion compared to baseline. The relative ratio of 8-OHdG in the H2 group also significantly decreased by 4.7%. After 4 weeks, MMP3 was significantly reduced by 19.2% ± 24.6% in the H2 group, and increased by 16.9% ± 50.2% in the placebo group. Drop infusion of H2 safely and effectively reduced RA disease activity.