Understanding the inflammatory cycle is key to understanding why so many modern health concerns persist. Increasing evidence now points to molecular hydrogen as a potential tool for moderating this cycle and supporting overall cellular health
Inflammation is an immune response activated when cells or tissues experience stress. It occurs both as an acute reaction to factors such as injury or infection and as an underlying, chronic phenomenon that is related to energetic dysfunction. In response to stimuli, bacterial/viral proteins and toxins, poor diet, or injury, for example, the overworked and stressed cells begin to produce and release pro- inflammatory molecules, including histamine, reactive oxygen species, and cytokines, including transcription factors and interleukins that influence the body’s defence mechanisms that protect us from the harmful aspects of the world around us.
Many of these small molecules are also responsible for initiating further inflammatory processes, attracting white blood cells, for example, whose movements and defensive activities lead to the five cardinal signs of inflammation: heat, redness, swelling, pain, and loss of function. Some pro-inflammatory molecules (either shed by pathogens or produced by our damaged cells) are also known to signal the secondary, adaptive immune system, activating the immune cells that patrol the lymph system (B cells, T cells). Such activity contributes to inflammation during cellular and systemic stress that occurs as we age, exercise, or when we are injured or unwell.
Why is inflammation a problem?
The inflammatory cycle itself underpins many illnesses and ailments we face in modern society, and is closely associated with the genesis, progression and prognosis of aging- related conditions, which include cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g., atherosclerosis, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia), muscle, bone and joint degeneration (e.g., arthritis, osteoporosis, sarcopenia), and neurological decline (e.g., cognitive function, reflexes, memory).
How can hydrogen gas Help?
Molecular hydrogen (H2 gas) is a natural gas that is gaining attention for its gentle but effective immunomodulatory effects. H2 therapies are commonly implemented in private clinics worldwide, with clinics providing H2 therapies in London, Hollywood, Europe, the Antipodes, and extensively throughout Asia.
Since 2007, a growing body of research, established by academic groups across the globe, has identified that H2 gas helps to reduce the impact of a hyper- stimulated inflammatory cycle. To date, there are thousands of studies supporting the use of hydrogen inhalation and hydrogen water as an immunomodulatory therapeutic. Current consensus is that H2 gas acts as an effective antioxidant, reducing only the most destructive reactive oxygen species; as an enhancer of mitochondrial function (which we’ll discuss in the next article), and as an immunohormetic, balancing the immune response and facilitating optimal cellular function.
What does the research say?
In animal studies, these anti- inflammatory effects have been measured in a few key ways: at a molecular level, through analysing the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory genes and their corresponding peptides; through measuring levels of biochemical markers of inflammation (cortisol, glucose, and glutathione are good examples). Microscopic evaluation, recording the physical damage and repair of the tissues, or detecting the level of inflammation-related proteins, and testing the reaction and recovery times of various animal models, ranging from large mammals, such as dogs, horses, and pigs, to smaller animals, including rodents and fish.
Many of the effects identified in the laboratory are also replicated in the clinic, with notable effects on the well-being of patients and participants experiencing conditions such as arthritis, cognitive lapses, COPD, metabolic disease, and vascular tension, which are now well-documented.
Emerging studies show that H2 can positively affect cognitive function. For example, a 6-month study conducted in 2021, including both men and women, describes the effect of drinking 500mL of hydrogen water (15mg/L) each day for 6 months. The findings show that responses to pain in the participants who drank hydrogen water were greatly reduced, and overall health, sleep, and social functioning were also improved. The team conducting these trials also identified that key chemicals related to memory and thinking (choline, creatine, and N-acetylaspartic acid) were elevated in the hydrogen water cohort, demonstrating a pathway by which H2 gas enhances neuronal and cognitive function.
Keeping our mobility and flexibility is also an important factor for general health and wellbeing, particularly when we consider that cardiovascular and metabolic conditions often coincide with long working hours, lack of adequate exercise, or a diet based on convenience instead of regional and seasonal availability. Although it is known that excessive inflammation has a large role in the onset and progression of disease, it is not only common in disease. Inflammation has a major role in muscle fatigue, wound repair and ageing.
Here, clinical reports suggest that H2 may reduce mental and physical fatigue through moderating inflammatory responses, with many outcomes showing that participants have experienced improved mobility, decreased soreness, and reduced hyperactive immune reactions. Join us in the next article, where we will consider how H2 supports cellular energy requirements.
Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.
Hippocrates (c. 370A.D)
Disclaimer
The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.
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With recognition for innovation, and backed by scientific research, Water Fuel Engineering’s oxyhydrogen therapy devices are convenient for home use and distributed globally.
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