# Protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on liver function of colorectal cancer patients treated with mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy.
> mFOLFOX6化学療法を受けた大腸がん患者における水素水の肝機能保護効果


## Abstract

This single-blind randomized controlled trial enrolled 144 colorectal cancer patients receiving mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy, assigning them to a hydrogen-rich water group (n=76) or a placebo group (n=60). Liver function markers—including ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, and both direct and indirect bilirubin—were measured before and after chemotherapy cycles. In the placebo group, ALT, AST, and indirect bilirubin levels rose significantly following chemotherapy. By contrast, the hydrogen-rich water group showed no statistically significant changes in any of these hepatic markers over the same period. These findings suggest that daily consumption of hydrogen-rich water may help preserve liver function during mFOLFOX6-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients.

### Mechanism

Hydrogen-rich water is thought to exert antioxidant effects that counteract mFOLFOX6-induced oxidative stress in hepatocytes, thereby preventing the elevation of ALT, AST, and indirect bilirubin associated with chemotherapy-related liver injury.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Yang QQ, Ji G, Pan R, Zhao Y, Yan P
- **Journal**: Mol Clin Oncol
- **Year**: 2017
- **PMID**: [29142752](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29142752/)
- **DOI**: [10.3892/mco.2017.1409](https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2017.1409)
- **PMC**: [PMC5666661](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666661/)
- **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 29142752. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/29142752
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [29142752](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29142752/)