Journal: Molecules · 2023
This comprehensive review from the University of Oslo analyzed 81 registered clinical trials and 64 peer-reviewed publications on molecular hydrogen (H₂) therapy across all major administration methods — drinking hydrogen-rich water, inhalation, intravenous infusion, dialysis, and topical application. Positive outcomes were documented across cardiovascular disease, cancer (extended progression-free survival in lung cancer, reduced tumor size, alleviated chemo/radiotherapy side effects), respiratory conditions (H₂:O₂ inhalation outperformed standard oxygen in COPD and was included in China's official COVID-19 treatment guidelines), neurological conditions (stroke, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's), and metabolic health (reduced body fat, improved lipid and glucose control, reduced exercise fatigue). The proposed mechanism is H₂'s selective neutralisation of the most harmful reactive oxygen species — particularly hydroxyl radicals — without disrupting beneficial ROS. Safety was confirmed across all 81 trials with very few adverse events. The authors conclude that hydrogen therapy is a highly promising, broadly applicable therapeutic candidate, with larger Phase 2/3 trials still needed to establish it as a mainstream clinical treatment.
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Molecular Hydrogen Therapy — A Review on Clinical Studies and Outcomes
Journal: Integrative Cancer Therapies · 2026
This randomized controlled pilot trial from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in Taiwan — the first of its kind — tested whether gargling hydrogen water could reduce oral side effects in 31 head and neck cancer patients who had recently completed radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Participants gargled either 20 mL of nano-hydrogen water or distilled water for 30–60 seconds at least three times daily over two weeks. The hydrogen water group showed significantly faster improvement in oral mucositis severity starting at Day 7, along with meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in quality of life by Day 14 — none of which were observed in the control group. Oral frailty scores did not differ between groups. The researchers attribute the benefits to hydrogen's selective neutralisation of harmful reactive oxygen species without compromising the antitumour effects of radiotherapy. No adverse effects were reported.
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Journal: European Journal of Medical Research · 2025
This scientific review from Panzhihua Central Hospital in China synthesises the current evidence on how molecular hydrogen protects the liver, covering conditions including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), viral hepatitis, and liver damage caused by ischemia or cancer treatment. The review identifies four main mechanisms through which hydrogen acts: it scavenges harmful reactive oxygen species and activates key antioxidant enzymes (SOD, catalase, GPx) via the NRF2 pathway; it suppresses inflammatory signalling cascades (NF-κB, MAPK, STAT3) to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6; it regulates glycolipid metabolism by inhibiting fat synthesis pathways (SREBP1/FAS) and promoting fatty acid oxidation, reducing liver fat accumulation; and it remodels the gut microbiota, which in turn reduces liver inflammation. Hydrogen acts across multiple liver cell types simultaneously — protecting hepatocytes, calming immune-activating Kupffer cells, reversing fibrosis-promoting stellate cells, and reinforcing the endothelial barrier. Clinical evidence shows that drinking hydrogen-rich water or inhaling hydrogen can improve liver enzyme levels, reduce fat accumulation, lower oxidative stress markers, and improve quality of life in patients with MASLD and those undergoing cancer radiotherapy. The authors conclude that hydrogen therapy is a promising strategy for liver disease but call for larger, higher-quality clinical trials to establish optimal dosing, timing, and delivery method.
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Journal: Hori et al. — Medical Gas Research, 2020