2023 · Liang et al. — Hydrogen-Rich Water Ameliorates Metabolic Disorder via Modifying Gut Microbiota in Impaired Fasting Glucose Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study
Super-Abstract
In 73 adults with impaired fasting glucose, fasting blood glucose fell over 8 weeks both with 1000 mL of hydrogen-rich water a day and with placebo water, and the abstract reports a significant difference between the groups without giving numbers. Among participants who had fatty liver at the start, 62.5% in the hydrogen group and 31.6% in the placebo group reached remission (10 of 16 and 6 of 19). Gut bacteria changed in the hydrogen group, and these changes correlated with nine metabolites. The abstract names no primary endpoint and does not report adverse events. (Antioxidants, 2023.)
Commentary
Hydrogen has shown effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in some animal models, but people with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) had rarely been studied. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 73 patients with IFG were assigned to 1000 mL a day of hydrogen-rich water or placebo pure water without hydrogen for eight weeks. The abstract does not give the group sizes, the hydrogen concentration, the study site or the number who completed. Metabolic parameters and faecal gut microbiota were measured at baseline and at week 8. A combined analysis of metabolomics and 16S RNA microbiota data looked for links between the metabolic effects of hydrogen and the diversity of gut bacteria. Fatty liver remission was reported for the participants who had abnormal fatty liver findings before the trial. The abstract does not name a primary endpoint and does not mention adverse events.
Key quotes
- „Both pure water and HRW demonstrated a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in IFG patients, with a significant difference between pure water and HRW after eight weeks.“ — fasting glucose fell in both groups; size and direction of the difference not given
- „Among IFG patients with abnormal pre-experimental fatty liver, 62.5% (10/16) in the HRW group and 31.6% (6/19) in the pure water group achieved remission.“ — a subgroup result, reported without a statistical test
- „H2 slightly improved metabolic abnormalities and gut microbiota dysbiosis, providing a novel target and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of blood glucose regulation in patients with IFG.“ — the authors' conclusion, which itself calls the improvement slight
Our assessment
The study is randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled, so hydrogen water was compared with plain water under fair conditions. It supports at most a small metabolic effect: the authors themselves write that hydrogen improved metabolic abnormalities only slightly. Fasting glucose also fell with placebo water, which shows how much changed without hydrogen. Limitations: 73 participants and no primary endpoint named. The abstract gives neither the size nor the direction of the between-group difference in fasting glucose. The fatty liver result comes from a subgroup and is reported without a statistical test. The gut microbiota and metabolite findings are correlations and do not show that bacteria cause any metabolic change. Many measures were analysed. Dropouts, adverse events and the hydrogen concentration are not reported in the abstract.
Study design
- Type: randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 8 weeks · n: 73 patients with impaired fasting glucose enrolled (group sizes not stated in the abstract) · H₂ delivery: hydrogen-rich water, 1000 mL per day (concentration not stated in the abstract)
- Comparator: placebo pure water without hydrogen
- Result: no primary endpoint named. Fasting blood glucose fell in both groups, with a significant between-group difference at week 8 (no figures given). Fatty liver remission 62.5% (10/16) vs. 31.6% (6/19), no statistical test reported. Changes in gut microbiota with hydrogen, correlated with nine metabolites
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Molecular hydrogen (H2) exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, and has shown benefits in glucose and lipid metabolism in certain animal metabolic disorder models. However, the potential benefits of H2 treatment in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) has seldom been studied. This randomized controlled study (RCT) aims to investigate the effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on IFG subjects and explore the underlying mechanism involved. METHODS: Seventy-three patients with IFG were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. These patients were assigned to receive either 1000 mL per day of HRW or placebo pure water (no H2 infusion) for a duration of eight weeks. Metabolic parameters and fecal gut microbiota were assessed at baseline (week 0) and at week 8. A combined analysis of metabolomics and intestinal microbiota was conducted to investigate the correlation between the effect of H2 on the metabolisms and the diversity of intestinal flora in the IGF patients. RESULTS: Both pure water and HRW demonstrated a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in IFG patients, with a significant difference between pure water and HRW after eight weeks. Among IFG patients with abnormal pre-experimental fatty liver, 62.5% (10/16) in the HRW group and 31.6% (6/19) in the pure water group achieved remission. Furthermore, 16S RNA analysis revealed HRW-modified gut microbiota dysbiosis in the fecal samples of IGF patients. Through Pearson correlation analysis, the differential gut microbiota obtained by 16S analysis was found to be highly correlated with nine metabolites. CONCLUSION: H2 slightly improved metabolic abnormalities and gut microbiota dysbiosis, providing a novel target and theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of blood glucose regulation in patients with IFG.
Source & links
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