What Is Hydrogen and Why Is This Tiny Molecule Attracting Health Research?

Category: Hydrogen Knowledge | Read time: 5 min

When most people hear the word “hydrogen,” they think of the periodic table, high school chemistry, or perhaps the Hindenburg disaster. What they rarely think about is health. But that is changing as researchers explore molecular hydrogen.

Hydrogen is not just a subject for chemistry lessons. It is also being studied for its biological properties. Here is what you need to know.

The Most Abundant Element in the Universe

Hydrogen is the first element on the periodic table. Molecular hydrogen (H₂), made of two hydrogen atoms, is the lightest molecule. It exists naturally as a gas and is far lighter than air — which is why it has historically been used in balloons and airships.

But its small size is not just a curiosity. It is one reason researchers are interested in how hydrogen moves inside the body.

What Makes Hydrogen Interesting

Cells have membranes. The brain has a blood-brain barrier. These boundaries influence how different substances enter tissues.

Hydrogen can diffuse across biological membranes. [1]

Its movement into tissues has been examined experimentally, including in the brain. This helps explain the scientific interest, although reaching a tissue does not, by itself, establish a health benefit. [2]

Hydrogen Is Not New

The idea of inhaling hydrogen gas might sound unusual, but it is not new. Hydrogen-containing mixtures have been used in specialised diving under carefully controlled conditions. That experience is different from using a consumer inhalation device. [4]

Beyond diving, hydrogen is also used in energy technology. These applications are separate from the question of its effects on human health.

And now, science is exploring hydrogen in another frontier: human health.

The Moment Everything Changed

In 2007, Ohsawa and colleagues, including Japanese scientist Professor Shigeo Ohta, published an influential study in Nature Medicine. Their work in cells and rats helped stimulate modern hydrogen research; it was not a demonstration of treatment benefits in people. [1]

That paper opened a door to further investigation. Subsequent research has included laboratory experiments, animal studies and human studies. [3]

Hydrogen research continues to develop, with important questions about its effects and practical applications still being explored.

Where Hydrogen Goes After You Inhale It

After inhalation, hydrogen can pass from the lungs into the bloodstream. Animal research has measured its distribution in different organs, with the speed and concentration varying between tissues. These findings do not establish a universal “15-minute” effect in people. [2]

Its ability to diffuse is scientifically interesting, but does not establish that it works better than antioxidants, supplements or medicines.

Hydrogen in Research and Beyond

Hydrogen is being explored in a range of applications, including health research. Evidence or authorisation for a food or industrial use does not automatically establish the safety or effectiveness of inhalation.

It is an active field of research, with findings that need to be considered in their specific context.

Get to Know Molecular Hydrogen

At The H2 Therapy, we believe in making this science accessible. Through our articles, hydrogen inhalation sessions and hydrogen water products, we help you explore the subject and understand the options available.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health regimen.

Next in the series: Hydrogen as an Antioxidant — How It Compares to Vitamins C and E.

References

1. Ohsawa, I., Ishikawa, M., Takahashi, K., Watanabe, M., Nishimaki, K., Yamagata, K., Katsura, K., Katayama, Y., Asoh, S., & Ohta, S. (2007). Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. Nature Medicine, 13, 688–694. Read source
2. Yamamoto, R., Homma, K., Suzuki, S., Sano, M., & Sasaki, J. (2019). Hydrogen gas distribution in organs after inhalation: Real-time monitoring of tissue hydrogen concentration in rat. Scientific Reports, 9, 1255. Read source
3. Ohta, S. (2014). Molecular hydrogen as a preventive and therapeutic medical gas: Initiation, development and potential of hydrogen medicine. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 144(1), 1–11. Read source
4. Abraini, J. H., et al. (1994). Psychophysiological reactions in humans during an open sea dive to 500 m with a hydrogen-helium-oxygen mixture. Journal of Applied Physiology, 76(3), 1113–1118. Read source