In recent years, the possibility of treating various diseases with molecular hydrogen has accelerated. Research into the use of hydrogen as a medical therapy has progressed rapidly. According to the current scientific literature, there is little doubt about its effectiveness.
In this article, we will look at the use of hydrogen for Alzheimer's disease. Before we go into detail about how hydrogen does this amazing work, let's first understand what Alzheimer's is.
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease in which the brain slowly begins to degenerate and dysfunction. It is the most common cause of dementia where memory, language, mood and personality are affected. It usually occurs in older people but is not part of the normal ageing process.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
When the brain cells start to fail, the patient starts to lose their memory. Normally, old memories are retained. Patients with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty retaining new memories. Although many of us sometimes cannot remember recent events, people with Alzheimer's do not even realise that they have forgotten things. This is because the brain cells in the part of the brain associated with learning have begun to dysfunction. This also leads to disorientation, confusion about place, time and events, mood and behaviour changes, inappropriate suspicions of family members and carers. As the disease progresses, patients may not be able to walk, talk or even swallow. Because Alzheimer's patients do not realise they have a problem, many do not come forward until late, when friends and family become concerned.
Why does Alzheimer's occur?
Scientists still do not know the exact reason for the development of this debilitating disease. It is thought that there is a genetic susceptibility that causes the disease. Some other causes such as depression, high blood pressure and head injuries are also thought to be risk factors. There are several hypotheses about the development of Alzheimer's disease. Besides the genetic component, there is a lot of research suggesting that an oxidative stress component plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This is evidenced by the increased oxidative stress markers observed in Alzheimer's disease.
What abnormalities are seen in the brain in Alzheimer's disease?
There are mainly two pathological features observed in Alzheimer's disease, namely plaques and tangles. They are responsible for the death of brain cells. Plaques are made up of proteins called beta-amyloid and they are deposited between the nerve cells. Tangles are made of another protein called tau and are deposited inside the cells. These proteins play an important role in the death of cells and affect their ability to communicate with each other, leading to symptoms such as memory loss.
How can we prevent/cure Alzheimer's disease?
We need to be aware that there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. There are also no proven ways to prevent this disease. Once the disease process starts, it progresses. The only option is to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and live as normal a life as possible. Currently, there are only a few medications to treat the cognitive symptoms that occur in Alzheimer's disease. However, most of them have side effects and their effectiveness wears off after some time. This is where hydrogen comes in.
What is the basis of hydrogen for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease?
As mentioned earlier, there are many studies that point to the oxidative stress effect in Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, antioxidant therapy is being promoted, with many clinicians suggesting the use of vitamin E and other foods that contain antioxidants. However, most clinicians are not aware of the newest and most powerful antioxidant, hydrogen. The antioxidant effects of hydrogen became known after a study by Japanese scientists in 2007. Since then, hundreds of studies have been conducted to determine its effectiveness and safety. Reactive oxygen species, which are produced due to oxidative stress, can cause chronic inflammation in the brain and lead to symptoms. Hydrogen can neutralise these oxygen free radicals without affecting other beneficial free radicals. Once it has fulfilled its function, hydrogen is converted into water, which is not toxic to the brain.
New research shows that hydrogen modifies gene expression
As part of this effect, it can increase the levels of antioxidants, such as glutathione, and antioxidant enzymes within cells.
Another useful effect of hydrogen in the treatment of these neurodegenerative diseases is due to its diffusivity. Many drugs have difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain and reaching the brain in the desired concentrations. However, since hydrogen is a gas (the smallest of all gas molecules), it can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and exert its effect.
Reactive oxygen species are also produced in the mitochondria within the cells
The main task of the mitochondria is to produce energy by forming ATP. If the amount of reactive oxygen species exceeds a critical limit, the mitochondrion can be damaged. Hydrogen can diffuse within the cells and reach the mitochondria, resulting in highly effective oxygen free radical control.
There have been found to be absolutely no side effects from the use of hydrogen when used within the recommended concentrations.
What scientific research is there using hydrogen to treat Alzheimer's symptoms?
There is currently some research that has investigated the direct effects of hydrogen in Alzheimer's disease.
In a study by Li J et al, the scientists gave hydrogen-rich saline to rats that had Abeta amyloid plaques in the brain with neuronal inflammation. After injecting them with hydrogen-rich saline, the scientists studied their memory and motor dysfunction. Hydrogen was able to block inflammatory mediators such as IL - 6, TNF alpha and MDA. It was able to promote LTP in the brain's hippocampus, which is normally blocked by amyloid plaques. (LTP is an important expression of synaptic plasticity involved in learning and memory function.)
The researchers analysed the cognitive function of the rats using the Morris water maze open-air task and by electrophysiological measurements. Hydrogen was able to reduce amyloid-induced neuronal inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, leading to an improvement in cognitive symptoms such as memory function.
According to Wang C et al, hydrogen-rich saline was able to reduce amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced oxidative stress and neuronal inflammation in a rat model. The rats were injected with hydrogen-rich saline for 10 days and their oxidative mediators were checked. It was found that they had reduced inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators than before. The mechanism for this change was thought to be due to genetic modulation by hydrogen. Nuclear factor-kappa B and JNK (a specific kinase enzyme) were thought to be attenuated.
In another study by Gu and colleagues, mice that exhibited age-related (senescence) accelerated cell death were given hydrogen-rich water to drink as they wished for 30 days. The 30-day treatment with hydrogen-rich water prevented the age-related decline in cognitive abilities and was associated with increased serotonin levels in the brain and increased antioxidant activity in the serum. When they were also given hydrogen-rich water for 18 weeks, it was found that their hippocampus degenerated less compared to mice that did not drink hydrogen-rich water.
There is still a lot of research going on to determine the effectiveness of hydrogen, but it can be assumed that hydrogen can help Alzheimer's patients by buying them a little more time by reducing symptoms.
A study that looked at hydrogen concentrations in rat tissue after hydrogen was administered by different routes showed that the highest hydrogen concentrations were found in muscle and brain after hydrogen inhalation compared to other routes of administration such as oral, intravenous and intraperitoneal use of hydrogen-rich water. These results suggest that hydrogen inhalation may be the most effective form of hydrogen administration for neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
Hydrogen may be the next big breakthrough in controlling Alzheimer's disease
Hydrogen may be the next big breakthrough in controlling Alzheimer's symptoms because it is cheap (once you buy an electrolyser, there is little additional cost to prepare hydrogen) compared to most drugs, which can cost a fortune.
Sources
What is Alzheimer's? (2017). Alzheimer's Association. Retrieved October 31, 2017, from https://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp
Li, J., et al, Hydrogen-rich saline improves memory function in a rat model of amyloid-beta-induced Alzheimer's disease by reduction of oxidative stress. Brain Res, 2010. 1328: p. 152-161.
Wang, C., et al, Hydrogen-rich saline reduces oxidative stress and inflammation by inhibiting JNK and NFkappaB activation in a rat model of amyloid-beta-induced Alzheimer's disease. Neuroscience Letters, 2011. 491(2): p. 127-32.
Y. Gu, C. S. Huang, T. Inoue et al, "Drinking hydrogen water ameliorated cognitive impairment in senescence-accelerated mice," Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 269-276, 2010.
Xie, F. and X. Ma, Molecular hydrogen and its potential application in therapy of brain disorders. Brain Disord Ther, 2014: p. 2.
Yan, H., et al, The neuroprotective effects of electrolyzed reduced water and its model water containing molecular hydrogen and Pt nanoparticles. BMC Proc, 2011. 5 Suppl 8: p. P69.
Pitchumoni, S., & Doraiswamy, P. (1998). Current Status of Antioxidant Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 46(12), 1566-1572. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1998.tb01544.x
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Settineri, Zhou, Ji, Garth L. Nicolson et al, Hydrogenized Water Effects on Protection of Brain Cells from Oxidative Stress and Gutamate Toxicity, American Journal of Food and Nutrition 2018, Vol. 6, No. 1, 9-13
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