# Hydrogen-rich water reduces inflammatory responses and prevents apoptosis of peripheral blood cells in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.
> 水素水摂取が健康成人の末梢血細胞における炎症応答およびアポトーシスに与える影響：無作為化二重盲検対照試験


## Abstract

A 4-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled healthy adults aged 20–59 years who consumed either 1.5 L/day of hydrogen-rich water (HW, n=20) or plain water (PW, n=18). Overall group differences in serum biological antioxidant potential (BAP), reactive oxygen derivatives, and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine were not statistically significant; however, participants aged 30 years or older showed a greater BAP increase in the HW group. Apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was significantly lower in the HW group, and flow cytometry revealed a reduction in CD14-positive cell frequency. RNA-sequencing of PBMCs showed clearly distinct transcriptome profiles between groups, with marked down-regulation of inflammatory response pathways and NF-κB signaling networks in the HW group. These findings indicate that hydrogen-rich water may enhance antioxidant capacity and attenuate inflammatory signaling in healthy individuals.

### Mechanism

Hydrogen-rich water consumption down-regulated NF-κB signaling and inflammation-associated transcriptional networks in PBMCs, suppressed apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and enhanced serum antioxidant capacity (BAP), particularly in adults aged 30 and above.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Sim M, Kim CS, Shon WJ, Lee YK, Choi EY, Shin DM
- **Journal**: Sci Rep
- **Year**: 2020 (2020-07-22)
- **PMID**: [32699287](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32699287/)
- **DOI**: [10.1038/s41598-020-68930-2](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68930-2)
- **PMC**: [PMC7376192](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7376192/)
- **Study type**: human randomized controlled trial
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: mixed

## 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 32699287. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/32699287
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [32699287](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32699287/)