What is hydrogen inhalation therapy?

There are a few ways that molecular hydrogen can be ingested: through hydrogen-enriched water, via inhalation, or injection. While all methods have demonstrated a range of incredible health benefits, we’ll be focusing on inhalation in this article.

Hydrogen inhalation therapy involves breathing in hydrogen gas at low concentrations (1-4%) through a nasal cannula (tube). This can be done either in a clinical setting or with a home device. This ultra-efficient method delivers molecular hydrogen directly to the blood, making it immediately available for circulation through the body.

What are the health benefits of inhaling molecular hydrogen?

Hydrogen therapy is gaining a lot of attention these days—and for good reason. Over 1,000 scientific studies suggest that molecular hydrogen has therapeutic potential in over 170 different human and animal disease models, and essentially every organ of the human body. Incredible, right? Let’s take a look at some of the potential health benefits of molecular hydrogen inhalation.

1.) Provides a powerful dose of antioxidants

Countless studies demonstrate that molecular hydrogen acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Antioxidants are substances that protect your body from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can harm your cells and are linked to several diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Molecular hydrogen selectively neutralizes toxic free radicals in your body by turning them into water. It has also been shown to support your body’s natural antioxidant system by signaling pathways associated with the prevention of disease.

Even better? Molecular hydrogen is the smallest molecule in existence which allows it to easily and deeply penetrate cell membranes. It’s even small enough to penetrate the mitochondria of cells and pass through the blood-brain barrier to scavenge for free radicals.

2.) Offers potent anti-inflammatory benefits

Molecular hydrogen has very strong anti-inflammatory effects—a fact that is backed by many clinical studies. In one study, inhaling molecular hydrogen was shown to decrease inflammation in the airways of patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This was mainly accomplished by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Other studies have demonstrated that molecular hydrogen relieves inflammation in some autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, and psoriasis. Researchers noted that this was accomplished because molecular hydrogen inhibited oxidative stress levels. Being that chronic inflammation is thought to play a major role in most diseases, hydrogen inhalation therapy could become one of the biggest health breakthroughs in the upcoming years.

3.) Enhances athletic performance

Move over, Gatorade. Inhaling molecular oxygen may benefit your athletic performance in a number of significant ways. With its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell-signaling properties, molecular hydrogen can help reduce muscle fatigue, relieve pain from intense exercise, and accelerate recovery from injuries. It’s thought to accomplish these effects by reducing inflammation and slowing the accumulation of lactate in the blood.

4.) Offers neuroprotective benefits

Several animal studies have demonstrated that molecular hydrogen has protective effects against neurodegeneration. Research shows that molecular hydrogen can reduce neuronal damage, maintain the number of neurons, and prolong the lifespan of neurons, all of which help prevent neurodegeneration. These findings are groundbreaking and could influence how neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease are managed and treated.

5.) May aid in COVID-19 recovery

Taking into account molecular hydrogen’s potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as its success in studies involving people with asthma, researchers hypothesize that hydrogen inhalation therapy may be an effective complementary treatment against COVID-19. They suspect molecular hydrogen might improve the inflammatory cytokine storm often seen in COVID-19 patients, thereby reducing lung injury and reducing the incidence of critically ill patients. Although additional research is needed to confirm this theory, all signs point to molecular hydrogen improving the currently limited treatment strategy for the novel coronavirus.

Is hydrogen inhalation therapy safe?

Molecular hydrogen has been studied since the 1940s and no toxic effects of hydrogen consumption have ever been reported. Additionally, hydrogen has been granted GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status by the FDA, meaning it’s approved for human consumption and not known to cause harm. Hydrogen is completely natural and an essential element for life. It’s present in water and almost all the molecules in living things. This is one of the reasons hydrogen inhalation therapy is so effective—we’re already wired to recognize it at a cellular level.