Can molecular hydrogen supplementation reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress in healthy adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Yiting Li, Renjie Bing, Meng Liu, Zhangyuting Shang, Yan Huang, Kaixiang Zhou, Dapeng Bao, Junhong Zhou · Frontiers in nutrition · 2024
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Independent study record
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H2HUBB TAKEAWAY
This meta-analysis examined the available evidence on molecular hydrogen. Subgroup analyses revealed that H₂ supplementation showed greater improvement in the antioxidant potential capacity of intermittent exercises than continuous exercise. The reviewed evidence supports molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential. Additional well-designed studies are needed to clarify clinical safety and effectiveness.
What the Review Examined
The review examined therefore, the researchers here conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantitatively assess the influence of H₂ on exercise-induced oxidative stress in healthy adults.
Main Findings Across the Literature
It was observed that compared to placebo, the effects of H₂ on oxidative stress (diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites, d-ROMs) was not significant (SMD = -0.01, 95%CI-0.42 to 0.39, p = 0.94). However, H₂ induced greater improvement in antioxidant potential capacity (Biological Antioxidant Potential, BAP) (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.54, p = 0.03) as compared to placebo. Subgroup analyses revealed that H₂ supplementation showed greater improvement (SMD = 0.52, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.87, p = 0.02) in the antioxidant potential capacity of intermittent exercises than continuous exercise. Among these studies, hydrogen-rich water, hydrogen bathing, and hydrogen-rich gas were three forms used in H₂ administration.
H₂ Mechanisms / Biological Findings
Hydrogen (H₂) can selectively reduce excessive free radicals, but studies observed its "dual effects" on exercise-induced oxidative stress, that is, increasing or decreasing the oxidative stress. The following keywords were used for search strategy: ["hydrogen"[Mesh] or "molecular hydrogen" or "hydrogen rich water" or "hydrogen-rich water" or "hydrogen rich saline"] and ["Oxidative Stress"[Mesh] or "Antioxidative Stress" or "Oxidative Damage" or "Oxidative Injury" or "Oxidative Cleavage"] and ["randomized controlled trial"[Mesh] or "randomized" or "RCT"].
Authors’ Conclusion
The authors concluded that H₂ supplementation can help enhance antioxidant potential capacity in healthy adults, especially in intermittent exercise, but not directly diminish the levels of exercise-induced oxidative stress. Future studies with more rigorous design are needed to examine and confirm these findings.