Molecular Hydrogen is an important part of your health and fertility plan.
GENERAL
Hydrogen is the lightest and simplest of all known elements. It consists of only one electron and one proton and, under normal conditions, it exists primarily in its diatomic form as molecular hydrogen (H2 gas). It is what powers the sun by fusion to produce helium.
Hydrogen is the centre of the prevailing cosmological model that describes the early development of the Universe. It was also involved in the genesis of life and played an active role in the evolution of eukaryotes
It is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-metallic, gas. It is this form of hydrogen that has been shown to exert the wide range of therapeutic effects.
Since it is the smallest molecule in the universe it has a high lipid solubility which allows it to easily diffuse into the cell & sub-cellular compartments of the mitochondria, nucleus (DNA) and other locations.
In other words, its unique physicochemical properties neutrality, size, mass, etc. allow it to rapidly penetrate bio-membranes (e.g. cell membranes, blood-brain, placental, and testis barrier) where it can exert its therapeutic effects.
RESEARCH
To date, approx 1000 articles and 1,600 researchers confidently suggest that molecular hydrogen has therapeutic potential in over 170 different human and animal disease models, and in essentially every organ of the human body.
The main reason for this is because H2 helps regulate excessive oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are at the root of virtually every disease and pathology.
There are a total of approx 80 human studies.
To date these clinical studies suggest that ingestion of hydrogen-rich water is beneficial for metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, which one could logically correlate benefit for patients with PCOS.
They also suggest significant benefits for autoimmune conditions (common with infertility patients), mitochondria optimization and reductions of oxidative stress (important for egg and sperm quality), improvements to blood flow (nourishment to developing eggs, uterine lining, and sperm), resilience to the effects of stress and anxiety, as well as exercise performance, athletic recovery time, wound healing, and potential protective effect in patients with radiation exposure.
SUMMARY OF EFFECTS
- Anti-oxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-obesity
- Detoxification
- Anti-aging
- Nervous system regulation
ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other stressors or diseases.
Molecular hydrogen itself has strong antioxidant effects, but only if it is required by the body [selective];
Unlike conventional antioxidants, hydrogen does have the ability to reduce excessive oxidative stress, but only under conditions where the cell is experiencing abnormally high levels of oxidative stress that would be harmful and not hormetic (necessary).
Most notably and directly, hydrogen reduces the level of toxic hydroxyl radicals (*OH), but does not react with other physiologically important reactive oxygen species (e.g. superoxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide).
Drinking hydrogen water for 4 weeks decreased the oxidative marker malondialdehyde (MDA) by 26%, increased superoxide dismutase, and the master antioxidant glutathione levels.
ACTIVATION OF Nrf2 PATHWAYS
Nrf2 pathway activation is a major element involved in the body’s response to external and internal stressors which cause or contribute to disease.
Molecular hydrogen can activate the Nrf2 pathway which;
regulates the cell modulating effects of over 200 cytoprotective (cell protecting) genes.
regulates phase ii enzymes involving mitochondrial protection, detoxification, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-obesity/metabolic pathways.
activates the antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway, which leads to the production of various cytoprotective antioxidants & proteins like glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, heme-1 oxygenase, etc.
CELL MODULATION EFFECTS
Besides the potential scavenging of hydroxyl radicals and/or activation of the Nrf2 pathway, hydrogen may ameliorate oxidative stress via a cell modulating effect and reduce the formation of free radicals via;
Signal transduction
Communication in the cell including between mitochondria and nuclear DNA
Protein phosphorylation
Important in the activation and coordination of many cellular functions involved in metabolism, inflammation, and many other physiological functions
Gene expressions (over 1000)
Gene expression is the process the cell uses to produce the molecule it needs by reading the genetic code written in the DNA.
One way it accomplishes these various cell-modulating effects is by modifying lipid peroxidation in the cell membrane.
The cell modulating effects of Hydrogen have been shown to;
- down-regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, and attenuate the activation of inflammatory mediators such as TNF-a, lower CRP
- provide beneficial effects on obesity and metabolism by regulating FGF21 hormone (which controls sweet cravings) and ghrelin (which controls hunger).
It has also been demonstrated that H2 may also impact the regulation of Calcium in cells which may have potential positive implications in cellular protection against the damaging effects of both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, including the most pervasive effects of microwave electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) produced by regular household appliances and tech devices such as wifi and smartphones.
HYDRATION
If cells need water, aquaporins (proteins that create cell membrane channels) allow more water into the cell. H2 regulates aquaporin expression.
Inflammation & oxidative stress also affects proper hydration of the cells, so hydrogen helps with hydration in multiple ways.
Diabetics (PCOS?)
Hypo-osmolarity (lots of glucose in blood) causes cells to shrink (dehydrated, thirsty), and therefore water stays extracellular (increased urine)
Hydrogen has insulin like activity, helps cells take up glucose, and water balance in cells is restored.
pH
Molecular hydrogen has no influence on pH, and has no reference to alkaline water.
When H2 gas is dissolved in water, it does not alter water chemistry/properties (e.g. does not form H4O), but is simply H2 gas that is dissolved into water.
OTHER NOTABLE RESEARCH
Drinking hydrogen water (600 mL/day) for 4 weeks resulted in decreased sympathetic nerve activation at rest, and improved mood and anxiety.
An early animal study performed where hydrogen therapy was effective at increasing resilience to acute and chronic stress by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the inflammatory responses to stress.
PREGNANCY – evidence in a study published in Frontier’s Journal of Behavioural Neuroscience, that oral ingestion of hydrogen water can reverse the autistic-like behaviours (e.g. impaired social behaviour, memory impairment, inflammation TNF-α and IL-6, etc.) induced by maternal exposure to the toxin VPA in mice.
SAFETY
It is already in our body, our cells, our tissues, our breath – all the time. It is a natural byproduct of fermentation by the intestinal microbiota.
Very high safety profile. Safe for elderly, children, pregnancy – safe and has therapeutic potential.
Therapeutic benefits greater with administration of H2 via water infused (vs. inhalation).
ADMINISRATION
Inhalation
- approved for post heart attack / stroke
Water infused
- In some research showing more effectiveness than inhalation
- Tablets create a transient spike that is substantial enough to up-regulate Nrf2 and other mechanisms discussed
TO LEARN MORE
http://www.molecularhydrogeninstitute.com/
*This website provided the reference material for this article.
