# Protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on spermatogenesis in high-fat diet obese rats.
> 高脂肪食誘発肥満ラットにおける水素水の精子形成保護効果


## Abstract

Using a high-fat diet (HFD, 45% fat) rat model of obesity, this study examined whether daily oral administration of hydrogen-rich water (HRW, 1.5 mM) over 16 weeks could protect spermatogenesis. Obese animals showed elevated body weight, increased malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total thiol levels in testicular and epididymal tissues, accompanied by lower sperm counts, reduced Sertoli and spermatogonial cell numbers, and decreased serum LH and testosterone. HRW administration reversed these changes: oxidative markers normalized, seminiferous tubule luminal diameter and epididymal epithelial height recovered, and reproductive hormone profiles improved. The findings indicate that HRW mitigates HFD-associated reproductive impairment primarily through suppression of oxidative stress and restoration of testicular histology.

### Mechanism

HRW reduces malondialdehyde while elevating superoxide dismutase activity and total thiol levels in testicular and epididymal tissues, thereby attenuating oxidative stress and restoring Sertoli cell, spermatogonial cell, and seminiferous tubule integrity impaired by high-fat diet-induced obesity.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Rigi MH, Asghari SZ, Eshtad E, Nazari SE, Aminian A, Kharazmi K, et al.
- **Journal**: Toxicol Appl Pharmacol
- **Year**: 2025
- **PMID**: [40188972](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40188972/)
- **DOI**: [10.1016/j.taap.2025.117334](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2025.117334)
- **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 40188972. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/40188972
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [40188972](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40188972/)