cancer radiation (side-effect)

41 papers

Research evidence summary

Q: Does molecular hydrogen help with cancer radiation (side-effect)?

A: Of 41 peer-reviewed papers, 26 reported a positive effect (the most common), 0 limited/mixed, 0 negative, 15 not assessed. Study mix: 3 human (2 RCT), 18 animal/basic, 15 meta-analysis or synthesis. The most studied delivery route is mixed routes. The above aggregates published research and does not constitute a clinically established conclusion. See the individual paper pages for details and Safety notes for inhalation safety. (last updated 2026-05-15)

Evidence breakdown
Human	3	of which RCT	2
Animal/basic	18	Synthesis/meta	15
Reported effect	positive 26 ・ limited/mixed 0 ・ negative 0 ・ not assessed 15

Read the safety notes →

Delivery-method distribution

mixed routes: 16 hydrogen-rich water: 11 injection / infusion: 5 inhalation: 4 not specified: 2 in vitro: 2 animal model: 1

Comparison of hydrogen administration methods in the treatment of radiation-induced heart disease in rats.
2026 ・ Can J Physiol Pharmacol ・ PMID 41806364

mixed routes positive animal study
Hydrogen-rich water attenuates radiation-induced oral mucositis in mice via antioxidant and gut microbiota-stabilizing effects: a longitudinal study.
2025 ・ Gut Microbes Rep ・ PMID 41909889

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Clinical Efficacy of Hydrogen Therapy on Acute Radiation Enteritis and Inflammatory Response in Patients with Cervical Cancer Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy.
2025 ・ Adv Radiat Oncol ・ PMID 41020280

inhalation positive human randomized controlled trial
Molecular Hydrogen as an Antioxidant and Radioprotector: Mechanistic Insights from Monte Carlo Radiation-Chemical Simulations.
2025 ・ Antioxidants (Basel) ・ PMID 41008961

in vitro positive other
Long-Term Neuroprotective Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Water and Memantine in Chronic Radiation-Induced Brain Injury: Behavioral, Histological, and Molecular Insights.
2025 ・ Antioxidants (Basel) ・ PMID 40867844

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Mechanism of hydrogen-rich water alleviating radiation-induced cognitive impairment through PI3K/AKT/Caspase-9 pathway mediating anti-oxidation.
2025 ・ Mol Cell Biochem ・ PMID 40646375

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Mitigating radiation-induced brain injury via NLRP3/NLRC4/Caspase-1 pyroptosis pathway: Efficacy of memantine and hydrogen-rich water.
2024 ・ Biomed Pharmacother ・ PMID 38906028

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Prospects of molecular hydrogen in cancer prevention and treatment.
2024 ・ J Cancer Res Clin Oncol ・ PMID 38555538

mixed routes not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen Therapy-A Review on Clinical Studies and Outcomes.
2023 ・ Molecules ・ PMID 38067515

mixed routes positive review
Comprehensive brain tissue metabolomics and biological network technology to decipher the mechanism of hydrogen-rich water on Radiation-induced cognitive impairment in rats.
2023 ・ BMC Mol Cell Biol ・ PMID 37752412

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Antitumoral Activity of Molecular Hydrogen and Proton in the Treatment of Glioblastoma: An Atypical Pharmacology?
2023 ・ Brain Sci ・ PMID 37626524

inhalation not assessed review
Mast Cells as a Potential Target of Molecular Hydrogen in Regulating the Local Tissue Microenvironment.
2023 ・ Pharmaceuticals (Basel) ・ PMID 37375765

not specified not assessed review
Hydrogen therapy as a potential therapeutic intervention in heart disease: from the past evidence to future application.
2023 ・ Cell Mol Life Sci ・ PMID 37269385

mixed routes not assessed review
A Systematic Review of Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Cancer Management.
2023 ・ Asian Pac J Cancer Prev ・ PMID 36708550

mixed routes positive review
Molecular Hydrogen as a Novel Antitumor Agent: Possible Mechanisms Underlying Gene Expression.
2021 ・ Int J Mol Sci ・ PMID 34445428

not specified not assessed review
Protective effects of hydrogen gas inhalation on radiation-induced bone marrow damage in cancer patients: a retrospective observational study.
2021 ・ Med Gas Res ・ PMID 33942780

inhalation positive human observational study
Molecular Hydrogen as a Potential Clinically Applicable Radioprotective Agent.
2021 ・ Int J Mol Sci ・ PMID 33925430

mixed routes not assessed review
Antitumor Activity of Protons and Molecular Hydrogen: Underlying Mechanisms.
2021 ・ Cancers (Basel) ・ PMID 33672714

mixed routes not assessed review
Protective Effects of Hydrogen against Irradiation.
2021 ・ Curr Pharm Des ・ PMID 33463456

mixed routes not assessed review
Hydrogen-rich water attenuates the radiotoxicity induced by tritium exposure in vitro and in vivo.
2021 ・ J Radiat Res ・ PMID 33231266

mixed routes positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen: A potential radioprotective agent.
2020 ・ Biomed Pharmacother ・ PMID 32763820

mixed routes not assessed review
A study on the protective effect of molecular hydrogen on osteoradionecrosis of the jaw in rats.
2020 ・ Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg ・ PMID 32451233

mixed routes positive animal study
Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Radiation-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Rats.
2020 ・ Radiat Res ・ PMID 31634054

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Regulation of microRNAs by molecular hydrogen contributes to the prevention of radiation-induced damage in the rat myocardium.
2019 ・ Mol Cell Biochem ・ PMID 30830529

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen: potential in mitigating oxidative-stress-induced radiation injury.
2019 ・ Can J Physiol Pharmacol ・ PMID 30543459

injection / infusion positive review