# The Effect of Adjuvant Therapy with Molecular Hydrogen on Endogenous Coenzyme QLevels and Platelet Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
> 非アルコール性脂肪肝疾患患者における水素富化水補充が内因性コエンザイムQおよび血小板ミトコンドリア生体エネルギー代謝に与える影響


## Abstract

A clinical trial enrolled 30 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and 15 healthy controls. Seventeen patients consumed hydrogen-rich water (HRW; >4 mg/L H2, 330 mL three times daily) for 8 weeks, while 13 received placebo tablets generating CO2. At baseline, NAFLD patients showed reduced coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) concentrations in blood, plasma, and platelets, along with elevated complex I-linked LEAK respiration and diminished oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and complex II-linked electron transfer capacities compared with controls. Following 8 weeks of HRW intake, platelet CoQ10 concentrations rose, plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) declined, and OXPHOS efficiency improved. No significant changes were observed in the placebo group. These findings suggest that sustained HRW consumption may support mitochondrial function recovery in NAFLD, though longer-term investigations are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

### Mechanism

HRW intake elevated platelet CoQ10 concentrations and improved OXPHOS efficiency while reducing lipid peroxidation (TBARS), suggesting that H2 supports mitochondrial bioenergetics by restoring electron transport chain function and attenuating oxidative stress in NAFLD patients.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Sumbalová Z, Kucharská J, Rausová Z, Gvozdjáková A, Szántová M, Kura B, et al.
- **Journal**: Int J Mol Sci
- **Year**: 2023 (2023-08-05)
- **PMID**: [37569850](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37569850/)
- **DOI**: [10.3390/ijms241512477](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512477)
- **PMC**: [PMC10419858](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10419858/)
- **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 37569850. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/37569850
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [37569850](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37569850/)