It used to be believed that molecular hydrogen was not functional. But scientists discovered the amazing properties of hydrogen in a 2007 study. Since then, many other effects of hydrogen have been discovered. Now we already know that hydrogen has many properties, one of which is anti-allergic.
But what causes this property of hydrogen? Let us first understand what an allergy is and what it does to our body.
What is an allergy?
An allergy occurs when the body's immune system reacts to substances that are not normally harmful to most people. The substances that people are allergic to are called allergens. These include pollen, dust mites, pets and insects such as wasps or bees, moulds, medicines such as penicillin and others, and some foods such as peanut, egg whites and so on.
When a person comes into contact with an allergen, they may react differently depending on the person and the severity of the condition. The allergy can be mild in some patients, while in others it can be life-threatening. Allergy is also implicated in asthma. People with allergies are more prone to developing asthma. People who have close family members who have allergies or asthma are also more likely to have allergies.
Atopy is considered a condition where the person has a genetic tendency to develop allergic reactions.
What happens during an allergic reaction?
An allergic reaction occurs when a person with an allergy comes into contact with the allergen in question. When the allergen first enters the body, it triggers an antibody reaction. The B lymphocytes in the blood produce IgE antibodies. The antibodies produced attach to some special white blood cells called mast cells via Fcε receptors on the surface. Mast cells are part of the body's immune system. These cells remember the allergen. This is called sensitisation.
When the body comes into contact with the allergen again, the allergen reacts with the IgE antibodies. This causes the mast cells to release substances. This process is called mast cell degranulation. The substances released include histamine, leukotrienes and prostaglandins, which affect the surrounding tissue and cause the allergy symptoms. This entire reaction is called a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction.
These released substances can cause a sudden dilation of the blood vessels and a contraction of the smooth muscles. It can occur at the local site of contact with the allergen or systemically throughout the body. The symptoms developed range from simple itching and rash to anaphylaxis and sudden death. Inflammation with redness and swelling may occur. The patient may have a runny nose, a rash called urticaria and difficulty breathing due to a severe asthma attack.
Anti-allergic properties of hydrogen
Hydrogen has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-allergic properties. Let's look at some examples where hydrogen alone worked against allergy and exerted its anti-allergic effects.
According to a study conducted in Japan, ingestion of hydrogen-rich water by mouth for four weeks eliminated an immediate-type allergic reaction in mice. Histamine levels in the blood of mice that drank the hydrogen-rich water were lower than in mice that did not drink it.
Hydrogen attenuates the phosphorylation of the Fcε receptors on the mast cells. This in turn abolishes signal transduction and leads to inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity, reducing the formation of inflammatory substances. Hydrogen was found to inhibit the activity of all molecules involved in this signalling pathway. Thus, hydrogen was found to counteract allergic reactions by modulating specific signalling pathways.
Before this study, scientists believed that the benefits seen with the hydrogen molecule were only due to its action as a scavenger of oxygen free radicals. This study was very important to the scientific community because it showed for the first time that hydrogen has a positive effect on allergic reactions due to a different mechanism that takes place within cells. Signal transduction takes place when a receptor protein on the surface of a cell is contacted by a molecule such as hydrogen. This triggers various physiological reactions in the cell, i.e. special signalling pathways are initiated, which subsequently lead to the alteration of various metabolic processes in the cell and to an altered reaction of the body.
Thus, drinking hydrogen-rich water can be an effective means of combating a variety of allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, hay fever, conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma in humans. Most medicines work on specific target sites. Hydrogen, however, is different from conventional drugs; it can reach any site on the cells and exert its effect through a combination of altered pathways. Although it is very effective, it has no known adverse effects. Therefore, hydrogen has the potential to become a novel drug.
Some studies have been conducted to test the effect of molecular hydrogen on various diseases associated with allergic or hypersensitive reactions.
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease of the skin associated with itching. It is due to allergic inflammation triggered by various triggers such as oxidative stress and an imbalance of the immune system. According to a 2013 study, drinking hydrogen-rich water could prevent atopic dermatitis induced by the allergen Dermatophagoides farina in rat models. One group of rats was given hydrogen-rich water while the others were given normal water for 25 days. After they were exposed to the allergen, the concentrations of substances released during allergic reactions were measured. The level of inflammatory substances in the mice that consumed hydrogen-rich water was very low compared to the level in the other mice. Thus, hydrogen may be a good therapy for people with atopic dermatitis. Moreover, this study emphasises that hydrogen water produced by electrolysis of water has an extremely low oxidation-reduction potential value, which expresses its antioxidant effect.
Another study from 2014 also confirms this. In this study with mice, the allergen was 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). It induced atopic dermatitis. In addition to reduced inflammatory substances, the researchers also found a significantly reduced IgE level in the group that drank hydrogen-rich water.
The incidence of asthma is also lower in mice treated with hydrogen-rich saline compared to those receiving normal saline. Inflammatory mediators (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α) were measured after induction of asthma with ovalbumin. Hydrogen-rich saline was able to reduce these mediators in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and also reduced mucus secretion and airway inflammation associated with asthma. These effects of hydrogen-rich saline on airway inflammation were dose-dependent.
The anti-allergic effect of hydrogen is a very new property that has only recently been discovered. Its therapeutic potentials in the treatment of various diseases seem unlimited. This is because molecular hydrogen is extremely safe to use, for example compared to cortisone treatment. This could be a breakthrough in the treatment of these allergic diseases and alleviate the suffering of these patients.
Sources
What is allergy? (2017). Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). Retrieved October 18, 2017, from https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/about-allergy/what-is-allergy
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Ohta, S., Molecular hydrogen as a novel antioxidant: overview of the advantages of hydrogen for medical applications. Methods Enzymol, 2015. 555: p. 289-317.
Ignacio, R.M., et al, The Drinking Effect of Hydrogen Water on Atopic Dermatitis Induced by Dermatophagoides farinae Allergen in NC/Nga Mice. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2013. 2013: p. 538673.
Yoon, Y.S., et al. Positive Effects of Hydrogen Water on 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice. Biol Pharm Bull, 2014. 37(9): p. 1480-5.
Xiao, M., et al, Hydrogen-rich saline reduces airway remodeling via inactivation of NF-kappaB in a murine model of asthma. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 2013. 17(8): p. 1033-43.