# Alleviation of the chronic stress response attributed to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of electrolyzed hydrogen water.
> 電解水素水の抗酸化・抗炎症作用による慢性ストレス応答の軽減


## Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) directly damage biomolecules and activate the NF-κB signaling pathway, promoting pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This creates a self-amplifying cycle between oxidative stress and inflammation that contributes to chronic disease progression. The present study investigated whether electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW), containing dissolved molecular hydrogen and platinum nanoparticles derived from the electrode, could counteract these processes in a rat model of continuous stress. After 5 days of repeated stress loading, animals showed elevated reactive oxygen metabolite-derived compounds (d-ROMs), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), alongside reduced biological antioxidant potential (BAP). Rats that consumed EHW throughout the stress period exhibited significant attenuation of all these markers. The findings indicate that EHW can suppress stress-associated oxidative stress and IL-1β elevation in vivo, likely through its antioxidant capacity involving selective scavenging of hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrites.

### Mechanism

Molecular hydrogen and platinum nanoparticles in EHW selectively scavenge hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrites, thereby suppressing NF-κB-mediated IL-1β production and breaking the self-amplifying cycle between ROS generation and inflammatory cell activation.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Hu D, Li DZ, Shigeta M, Ochi Y, Okauchi T, Neyama H, et al.
- **Journal**: Biochem Biophys Res Commun
- **Year**: 2021 (2021-01-08)
- **PMID**: [33340760](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33340760/)
- **DOI**: [10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.035](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.035)
- **Study type**: animal study
- **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 33340760. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/33340760
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [33340760](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33340760/)