# Dietary fibre and health: the role of hydrogen production.
> 食物繊維と健康：大腸内発酵による水素産生の役割に関する仮説


## Abstract

The biological mechanisms underlying the epidemiological link between high dietary fibre consumption and lower disease incidence in humans remain incompletely characterized. This hypothesis paper proposes that molecular hydrogen, generated in substantial quantities as a fermentation by-product of dietary fibre and unabsorbed carbohydrates in the colon, may be a key mediating factor. Once distributed to tissues, H2 is suggested to function as a potent reducing agent capable of neutralizing harmful free radical species such as singlet oxygen. Acting in concert with other endogenous antioxidants, hydrogen may contribute to the regulation of reactive species implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases. This represents an early theoretical framework connecting gut-derived H2 to systemic antioxidant defense.

### Mechanism

Colonic fermentation of dietary fibre generates molecular hydrogen, which is proposed to diffuse into tissues and act as a reducing agent that scavenges free radical species such as singlet oxygen, thereby contributing to antioxidant defense.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Neale RJ
- **Journal**: Med Hypotheses
- **Year**: 1988
- **PMID**: [2849711](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2849711/)
- **DOI**: [10.1016/0306-9877(88)90091-6](https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-9877(88)90091-6)
- **Study type**: other
- **Delivery route**: not specified
- **Effect reported**: not assessed

## Delivery context

The delivery route is not clearly identifiable from this paper. For hydrogen intake, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk (empirical LFL of 10%; high-concentration devices are not recommended).

## Safety notes

The delivery route is not clearly identifiable from this paper. For hydrogen intake, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk (empirical LFL of 10%; high-concentration devices 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)

---

> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 2849711. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/2849711
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [2849711](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2849711/)