# Effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on the quality of life of patients treated with radiotherapy for liver tumors.
> 肝臓腫瘍に対する放射線治療患者における水素水摂取が生活の質に与える影響


## Abstract

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 49 patients with malignant liver tumors undergoing radiotherapy. Participants consumed hydrogen-rich water (0.55–0.65 mM H2, generated via a metallic magnesium stick) or placebo water for 6 weeks. Blood levels of reactive oxygen metabolites decreased and oxidative potential was preserved in the hydrogen-water group. Quality-of-life scores assessed with the Korean-language EORTC QLQ-C30 instrument were significantly higher in the hydrogen-water group than in controls. Importantly, no difference in tumor response to radiotherapy was detected between the two groups, suggesting that antioxidant effects did not interfere with anti-tumor efficacy.

### Mechanism

H2 is thought to selectively scavenge reactive oxygen species generated during radiotherapy, thereby reducing oxidative stress and suppressing inflammatory responses in irradiated tissues without impairing the tumor-directed effects of radiation.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Kang KM, Kang YN, Choi IB, Gu Y, Kawamura T, Toyoda Y, et al.
- **Journal**: Med Gas Res
- **Year**: 2011 (2011-06-07)
- **PMID**: [22146004](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22146004/)
- **DOI**: [10.1186/2045-9912-1-11](https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-9912-1-11)
- **PMC**: [PMC3231938](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3231938/)
- **Study type**: human randomized controlled trial
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: positive

## Delivery context

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

## Safety notes

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

See also:
- [Inhalation concentration and LFL / UFL](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/inhalation-concentration)
- [Consumer Affairs Agency accident cases](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/accident-cases)
- [Inhalation safety threshold lineage](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/lineage)

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> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 22146004. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/22146004
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [22146004](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22146004/)