Living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) presents many challenges. Symptoms can include motor symptoms like tremors, non-motor symptoms like anxiety and depression, and fatigue.
Fortunately, there are many ways PD patients can maintain and improve their quality of life.
Physical therapy, for example, can help those with PD adapt to new physical limitations, while occupational and speech therapy can also help to manage symptoms. However, one new treatment that’s being researched is molecular hydrogen inhalation therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
With this form of treatment, you breathe in hydrogen gas, which has very powerful antioxidant properties. As an antioxidant, H2 gas may slow and potentially reverse oxidative stress, which is believed to contribute to the progression of PD.
So, is molecular hydrogen effective, and how does it work?
Hydrogen inhalation is generally considered safe. And for Parkinson’s disease, it’s best used as a complementary treatment to medication and traditional therapies.
In terms of efficacy, the research is mixed. Some studies show that hydrogen inhalation or drinking hydrogen water had a positive effective on symptoms, including improving Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores and alleviating oxidative stress in animal models. However, the available research is limited, and other tests have been inconclusive.
Ultimately, though, molecular hydrogen inhalation therapy may offer wellness support for PD. We look at why in this guide.
What Is Hydrogen Inhalation Therapy?
Hydrogen inhalation therapy involves breathing in a mixture of hydrogen gas and regular air. Research suggests this gas, which is known as molecular hydrogen, has powerful antioxidant properties that can target oxidative stress.
Additional potential benefits of hydrogen therapy may include:
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Hydrogen may help reduce inflammation in the body, which can be beneficial for various health conditions. For PD specifically, this may help relieve muscle stiffness and joint pain.
- Neuroprotective effects: Hydrogen has been studied for its potential to protect brain cells from damage. Theoretically, this may help to slow neuron death, which can lead to the progression of PD.
- Improved mitochondrial function: Hydrogen may help improve the function of mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles of cells. This may help the mitochondrial dysfunction that’s common in PD.
Hydrogen Therapy for Parkinson’s: Key Benefits
Parkinson’s disease is associated with a proliferation of free radicals. These highly reactive molecules can damage cells and tissues, including those in the brain. In Parkinson’s, the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra is thought to be partly due to oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Oxidative stress can cause a wide range of symptoms that may exacerbate PD symptoms:
- Inflammation: Free radicals can trigger inflammation, which can further damage brain cells.
- Protein aggregation: Free radicals can contribute to the formation of protein aggregates, such as alpha-synuclein, which are characteristic of Parkinson’s.
- Mitochondrial dysfunction: Free radicals can damage mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles of cells, leading to impaired cellular function.
Ultimately, in PD treatment, hydrogen inhalation is believed to target oxidative stress and offer neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory support.
See related. Explore how hydrogen therapy for Alzheimer’s disease offers similar neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.
Hydrogen Therapy as PD Treatment? (Research Review)
While molecular hydrogen inhalation has garnered interest as a potential therapeutic for Parkinson’s disease, the evidence remains inconclusive. Some studies show promising results, while others have yielded mixed findings.
More rigorous research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and risks of this approach. However, let’s look at the existing research on molecular hydrogen inhalation for Parkinson’s disease:
1. Case Study – Brain Activity
Dr. Mitch Ghen, Chief Medical Officer of Hue Light USA, recorded a brief case study on hydrogen inhalation. The study explored how a single session of hydrogen inhalation might influence brain voltage (a measure of electrical activity in the brain) in a Parkinson’s disease patient with persistent post-concussive syndrome.
Following a 30-minute session, the patient experienced a rapid 1200% increase in brain voltage. This improvement was attributed to the vasodilatory effects of molecular hydrogen, which may have enhanced blood flow and electrical activity in the brain.
2. Red Light Therapy and Hydrogen
This study investigated the combined effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) and molecular hydrogen (H2) on Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. The researchers hypothesized that PBM could improve neuronal activity but might also increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), while H2 could counteract this effect.
In a small trial, 18 PD patients received daily PBM + H2 therapy for 2 weeks. The study found that this combination therapy was safe and led to significant improvements in Parkinson’s disease symptoms as measured by the UPDRS score. The positive effects persisted for a week after the therapy ended.
“Learn more. Another alternative complementary therapy is vibration therapy for Parkinson’s disease. These three therapies (plus hyperbaric oxygen therapy) comprise Hue Light USA’s BAHI Therapy protocol.
3. Hydrogen and Neuroinflammation
This study investigated the effects of hydrogen gas inhalation on L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia, a side effect of Parkinson’s disease treatment. Rats with Parkinson’s disease were treated with L-DOPA and either exposed to hydrogen gas or air.
The results showed that hydrogen gas inhalation significantly reduced abnormal involuntary movements associated with L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia without affecting the beneficial effects of L-DOPA on locomotor function. This reduction in dyskinesia was linked to a decrease in neuroinflammation, as evidenced by lower levels of activated microglia and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain.
Neuroprotection is one of the anti-aging benefits of hydrogen inhalation therapy.
4. Hydrogen Water and PD
This study found that drinking water containing molecular hydrogen can protect against brain damage caused by oxidative stress, which is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease. In mice with Parkinson’s disease, drinking H2-containing water significantly reduced the loss of dopamine-producing neurons. The protective effects were observed even at very low concentrations of H2 in the water.
The study also showed that H2 reduced markers of DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in the brain, suggesting that it can effectively counteract oxidative stress. While H2 did not significantly reduce the production of superoxide, a type of reactive oxygen species, it still had a beneficial effect on brain health.
5. Hydrogen Water vs Gas for PD
Another study investigated the effects of drinking hydrogen water on Parkinson’s disease patients. Participants with PD were randomly assigned to drink H2-water or a placebo for 48 weeks.
The results showed that drinking hydrogen water significantly improved Parkinson’s disease symptoms as measured by the UPDRS score. There were no adverse effects associated with drinking H₂-water.
However, a follow-up study from the same authors, looking at hydrogen gas, found inconclusive results:
The study investigated the effects of hydrogen gas inhalation on Parkinson’s disease patients. Participants with PD were randomly assigned to inhale hydrogen gas or placebo air for 16 weeks.
The results showed that hydrogen gas inhalation was safe but did not improve Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Case Study: Chanie’s Experience
Chanie Pechter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and faced a variety of challenges and symptoms. She describes how she’s used molecular hydrogen inhalation therapy to manage Parkinson’s disease symptoms:
Wrapping Up
While promising preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated positive effects on various aspects of the disease, such as reducing oxidative stress, more rigorous research is needed to establish its definitive efficacy.
Therefore, it’s important to note that hydrogen inhalation therapy is not a substitute for conventional treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Rather, it may be considered as a complementary therapy when used in conjunction with established medical interventions.
Hue Light USA is a provider of state-of-the-art hydrogen inhalation therapy machines (for at-home or clinical use). Learn more about our devices today.
