Hydrogen Therapy

Until many years back, it was believed that hydrogen gas has no therapeutic value, however in the last two decades, research on molecular hydrogen shows that it may be one of the most important medical gases today. Hydrogen gas is the smallest known molecule and can easily permeate all tissues including the blood-brain barrier. Molecular hydrogen can be inhaled using a hydrogen inhalation machine, and hydrogen gas can also be applied externally and is absorbed easily by all tissues when inhaled.

How is molecular hydrogen produced and used for health benefits?

In hydrogen therapy, molecular hydrogen (H2) is applied in form of hydrogen gas or hydrogen infused water generated using hydrogen electrolysis machines.

Hydrogen gas bubbled through distilled water dissipates small amounts of hydrogen molecules in the water. Concentration of H2 molecules in hydrogen infused water is quite low, about 1-2 ppm. 100% saturated hydrogen water contains 1.6 ppm or 0.8 mM hydrogen at room temperature. So to intake 600 ml of hydrogen by drinking hydrogen-rich water, you would need to drink quite a lot. However this can be achieved in 1-2 minutes with some of the hydrogen inhalation machines.

Molecular Hydrogen can also be applied topically or externally via the skin route as its readily absorbed by skin tissues. One can take a warm bath infused with hydrogen for the purpose.

How does molecular hydrogen provide health benefits?

Molecular hydrogen benefits many health conditions as hydrogen is an incredible anti-oxidant^​2​, anti-inflammatory and has anti-apoptotic neuroprotective effects^​3​. This means that it affects the cells to self-repair and be more resilient.

Molecular hydrogen targets (Nrf2)-mediated redox signalling under oxidative stress and downregulates inflammatory cytokines. It removes highly reactive oxidants such as hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) inside cells.^{​4​ ​5​} That makes hydrogen inhalation a novel anti-aging or longevity technology today.

Excited?! It’s no wonder that the universe’s oldest and smallest molecule is the building block of life. It’s almost 63% of the body actually if you consider the weight to size ratio!

Let us more learn about molecular hydrogen benefits based on published clinical studies and trials.

Benefits of Molecular Hydrogen

In cell studies and animal models, molecular hydrogen using various strategies of application has been found to improve cognitive dysfunction^​6​, hypertension^​7​, brain injury^​8​, sepsis^​9​, oxidative stress^​10​, cellular dysfunction^​11​, progression of brain hemorrhage^​12​, dry eye disease^​13​, ovarian cancer^​14​ and prevents parkinson’s disease^​15​ among others.

Perhaps the most important benefit of hydrogen inhalation is as an important medical gas to be fitted in ICUs as it has been found to have an immediate beneficial effect on Sepsis. There is on-going interest in utilizing molecular hydrogen inhalation for resuscitation^​16​.

Heart Health

In a study from Ehime University, Japan it was concluded that hydrogen inhalation provides benefits in heart disease by reducing oxidative stress and could safely be applied at home as an effective strategy for prevention of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.^​17​

In 2016, a pilot clinical trial by Japanese scientists for feasibility and safety of hydrogen inhalation for post-cardiac arrest syndrome was conducted. They found that hydrogen inhalation combined with target temperature management survived with a favorable neurological outcome.^​18​

In 2017, scientists and doctors from Keio University School of Medicine, Japan, conducted a clinical trial where hydrogen inhalation was found effective for Post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome. Hydrogen gas therapy was found to be feasible, safe and could promote recovery even six months after an angioplasty with stent or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevated Myocardial Infarction.^​19​

It also has huge potential in sports medicine and athlete performance as it effectively downregulates muscle damage, reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis after acute exhaustive exercise.^{​31​ ​20​}

Diabetes

Hydrogen inhalation has been shown to benefit patients with type-2 diabetes. Molecular hydrogen water and inhalation has shown to reduce symptoms and also act preventative therapy for diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

Recently, scientists in collaboration from Spain, Serbia and Slovakia, published a systematic meta review and meta-analysis on the effects of hydrogen-rich water on blood lipid levels in patients with metabolic diseases, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes. This research review reveals many interesting facts about HRW. In the discussion they observe that oral HRW decreased levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglycerides while the levels of HDL were unchanged.

In 2016, a Japanese study on the use of hydrogen-rich water in patients with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, it was found that the hydrogen water therapy improves lipid and glucose metabolism. Therefore it  hydrogen-rich water may have a beneficial role in prevention of T2DM and insulin resistance.

Recently, in two clinical trials using 3000 ml/min or 3 L/min hydrogen inhalation in 431 and 1088 type-2 diabetes patients conducted in China, it was found that it significantly improves glycemic control, weight, insulin dose, lipid metabolism, β-cell function and insulin resistance of patients with type 2 diabetes after 6 months. ^{​21​ ​22​} They inhaled 1-6 hours hydrogen inhalation daily for the studies. It was also found that longer duration hydrogen inhalation reduced the blood sugar levels (HbA1c) more than shorter duration of at least 1 hour.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Molecular hydrogen inhalation can also benefit recovery from stroke and during stroke rehabilitation.

In 2017, Japanese scientists conducted RCT to study the safety and efficacy of hydrogen inhalation in treatment of acute cerebral infarction.^​23​ They found that hydrogen inhalation is safe and improves oxygenation. Also they found the MRI signal intensity at the stroke site improve in Hydrogen gas therapy patients. Decent improvements were found in all parameters including physical therapy and neurological impairments. The treatment consisted of 1 hour of 3% hydrogen inhalation. Simple.

There is also new research on Hydrogen inhalation for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Anti-cancer

Molecular Hydrogen certainly has potential for use in cancer therapy. In a RCT by scientists from University of Pittsburgh, United States, cancer patients receiving radiation therapy were given hydrogen infused water. They concluded that daily consumption of hydrogen-rich water improved quality of life and reduces radiation induced oxidative stress in these patients.^​24​

Evidence is now emerging that Hydrogen Inhalation is an advanced cancer treatment. In multiple ethical trials in China, hundreds of Stage 3 and 4 patients were given hydrogen gas treatment. On the basis of these trials, it was established that hydrogen inhalation can control progression of cancer in 85% of stage 3 and 47% of stage 5 patients.^​25​ This is a breakthrough meta-analysis study that could bring molecular hydrogen to the forefront of cancer clinics worldwide.

In another clinical trial, hydrogen therapy was used to control tumor progression and reduce the side-effects from medications in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. It was concluded that hydrogen inhalation can significantly benefit such patients and can be combined with chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy to improve the outcomes.^​26​

Improves lung function and protects from pollution

Many animal studies have found benefits of hydrogen inhalation to protect and treat lungs. In 2016, scientists from Hebei Medical University, China conducted an RCT to study the protective effects of hydrogen inhalation on lungs of sanitation workers exposed to haze or pollution from medical waste and air pollution. They concluded that inhalation of hydrogen gas can reduce airway inflammation and oxidative stress as well as improve respiratory symptoms such as cough.^​27​

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Early on, molecular hydrogen had been studied on the cellular level for disuse muscle atrophy, cartilage trauma, and osteopenia in animal studies.^{​28–30​} Application of H2 was found to be improving mitochondrial function and collagen protein generation. This opened the path to research on hydrogen for bone, cartilage and muscle disorders that arise from genetic defects, aging and inflammation.

Then on, several studies reported that H2 was able to restore the health and functional abilities after acute soft tissue injuries and chronic musculoskeletal disorders including rheumatoid arthritis^​31​ .

In 2011, Japanese scientists conducted a clinical trial on effects of hydrogen-enriched water (1L/day for 12 weeks) in patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (PMD), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and mitochondrial myopathies (MM).^​32​ These conditions are due to genetic defects in the muscle cells and resulting in loss of muscle with age. It’s wonderful to see hydrogen reverse mitochondrial dysfunction although it’s no surprise to us as MD is a result of oxidative stress and abnormal protein generation.^​33​

The studies indicate orally administered H2-rich water, topical application or inhalation of gas, hydrogen can improve MSDs. Inhaling hydrogen will provide a lot more quantity to the body as you in-take several liters in an hour, compare that to just a few parts per million in a glass of water. However, Hydrogen water has unique benefits as it works better on the gut and has an added effect on Gut-Musculoskeletal Axis . For topical use of hydrogen on limbs, joints, etc., a shower cast cover can be used to envelope the treatment area and then introduce hydrogen gas or water to the bag.

Dosages and Safety of Hydrogen Inhalation

Hydrogen inhalation is relatively risk-free as one can not overdose on hydrogen. There is no toxicity to H2 because the by-product of the free-radical neutralizing reaction is water. The side effects of Molecular hydrogen have been reported to be mild detoxification reactions such as a mild headache and loose motions, classic symptoms of over hydration. So like an athlete its important to build resistance to increase hydrogen dosages beyond the 4-5% dose.

What do the percent figures mean?

Considering an average person weighing 170 lbs. breathes 6 liters (L) of air per minute, inhaling 150 ml/min of H2 would be an approximate dosage of 2.5%. Similarly 300 ml/min would be 5% and 600 ml/min would be 10%. The dosage of inhaled hydrogen can be easily controlled by the volume and duration of use. Inhaling 3% H2 saturates the blood with hydrogen in 20 minutes. ^​34​ The actual amount of hydrogen absorbed by the cells would also vary on other factors such as the

Evidence of Hydrogen Inhalation being a safe therapy

In a collaborative study by scientists from Boston & Harvard Medical School, scientists concluded that prolonged inhalation of 2.4% H2 for 24 – 72 hours is well tolerated with no significant after effects.^​35​

In another study, a dosage of 3% hydrogen inhalation were concluded to be safe and effective in patients with acute cerebral infarction.^​36​

Further, high-pressure hydrogen gas (49%) is used in deep-diving gas mixtures to prevent decompression sickness and arterial gas thrombi.^​37​ This exhibits the high safety profile and healing prowess even at high doses of hydrogen inhalation. Clinical study utilizing 3 L/min or 50% H2 observed hydrogen inhalation to be safe in a 6 month long study. ^​22,38​

Conclusions

Molecular hydrogen inhalation and hydrogen-rich water both have unique and several health benefits and can provide immense relief in many conditions, act as a protective agent against diseases. Therefore many health, wellness and fitness service providers including GPs, natural medicine doctors, cardiologists, pulmonologists, oncologists, physical therapists and many others may take more interest in such a simple and natural solution to help improve outcomes and care quality.

Our article on hydrogen-oxygen mixed gas inhalation provides further clinical evidence of applying molecular hydrogen for health in combination with oxygen.

References