Hydrogen as a selective antioxidant

The problem: too many free radicals

Every cell turns food and oxygen into energy, and that process throws off reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a by-product. In small amounts many of them are useful: the body uses them as signals for immune defence, for adapting to exercise and more.

Trouble starts when they build up faster than the body can deal with them. That imbalance is called oxidative stress. The most aggressive of these molecules, the hydroxyl radical, reacts with almost anything it touches, including fats, proteins and DNA.

What the researchers did

A team at Nippon Medical School tested molecular hydrogen (H₂) in two settings. First in cultured cells exposed to oxidative stress, then in rats that had a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, a model of stroke, while breathing air containing 2% hydrogen gas.

They then looked at which reactive species hydrogen actually reacted with, and whether cells and brain tissue were protected.

What they found

Hydrogen reduced the hydroxyl radical (and peroxynitrite, another strong oxidant) and protected the cells. It did not react with the other reactive species that have normal jobs in the body.

In the rat model, inhaling hydrogen markedly reduced brain injury. The authors put this down to hydrogen buffering oxidative stress, helped by the fact that it is small enough to pass easily through membranes and reach the places those radicals form.

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Hydrogen seemed to target only the most damaging radicals, and leave the useful ones alone.

Why “selective” is the interesting part

Broad antioxidants can mop up the useful signalling molecules along with the harmful ones. The paper's headline idea was that hydrogen seemed to target only the most damaging radicals and leave the rest alone.

That selectivity is a big reason this paper is so widely cited. It kicked off the field of hydrogen research: hundreds of studies have followed, from cell work to human trials.

What this study doesn’t show

• It was a lab study in cells and rats, not a trial in people.
• The animals inhaled hydrogen gas; they did not drink hydrogen water.
• It says nothing about any specific product, dose or health outcome in humans.

Sources

1. [1]Ohsawa I, Ishikawa M, Takahashi K, et al. Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals.Nature Medicine 13:688–694, 2007
2. [2]Ichihara M, et al. Beneficial biological effects and the underlying mechanisms of molecular hydrogen: comprehensive review of 321 original articles.Medical Gas Research 5:12, 2015
3. [3]Dhillon G, et al. Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax? A Systematic Review.International Journal of Molecular Sciences 25(2):973, 2024

This article is an educational summary of published research on molecular hydrogen. It is not medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. OG Hydro products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before changing your routine.