Tag: hydrogen

Successful treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome using hydrogen gas: four case reports

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is characterized by unexplained fatigue and malaise that persist for more than 6 months with neuropsychiatric symptoms, including slight fever, headache, weakness, impaired thinking, and depression.[1,2] The onset and severity of these symptoms vary and reduce the quality of life as well as social, occupational, and personal activities of those affected, with some becoming bedridden.[1,2] The number of ME/CFS patients in the United States is estimated to be between 836,000 and 2.5 million.[3]

Although it currently remains unclear whether there are objective and biological abnormalities in ME/CFS, recent neuroimaging, blood marker analyses, and energy metabolism and mitochondrial studies detected these abnormalities in ME/CFS patients.[4] ME/CFS may be caused by the activation of the immune system, both within and outside the brain, which induces the release of inflammatory cytokines. ME/CFS is presumed to cause abnormalities in the central and autonomic nervous systems, systemic energy metabolism, and immune system and also involve oxidative and nitrosative stress.[4,5,6] Dysfunctions in systemic energy metabolism may be related to abnormalities in the structure and function of mitochondria.[7,8,9,10]

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a gaseous molecule that selectively scavenges reactive oxygen and nitrogen species with strong oxidizing power, namely, hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and peroxynitrite, respectively.[11,12] H2 easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and biological membranes, reaches mitochondria, and protects cells from ·OH-induced cell damage.[11,12] A recent literature review revealed that H2 attenuated acute or chronic fatigue in animals and healthy subjects.[13] We also reported that the anti-fatigue effects of H2 involved the protection of mitochondria, which may also ameliorate the pathogenesis of ME/CFS.[13] Therefore, we conducted this case study to test this hypothesis by examining the efficacy of H2 gas inhalation in four patients with ME/CFS.

Source: Hirano, Shin-ichi*; Ichikawa, Yusuke; Sato, Bunpei; Takefuji, Yoshiyasu; Satoh, Fumitake. Successful treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome using hydrogen gas: four case reports. Medical Gas Research 14(2):p 84-86, June 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/2045-9912.385441 https://journals.lww.com/mgar/fulltext/2024/14020/successful_treatment_of_myalgic.7.aspx (Full text)

Changes in the proteomics of exhaled breath condensate under the influence of inhaled hydrogen in patients with post-COVID syndrome.

Abstract:

Purpose. To study the effect of inhalation therapy with an active form of hydrogen (APH) on the protein composition of exhaled air condensate (EAC) in patients with post-COVID syndrome (PCS).

Material and methods. A randomized controlled parallel prospective study included 60 patients who had a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19, COronaVIrus Disease 2019) with PCD during the recovery period, had clinical manifestations of chronic fatigue syndrome and received standard therapy according to the protocol for managing patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (main) – 30 people who received standard therapy and APV inhalations (device “SUISONIA”, Japan) for 10 days, and group 2 (control) – 30 medical workers who received only standard therapy. Patients in both groups were comparable in terms of gender and mean age. All participants in the study on the 1st and 10th days. samples were taken from the CVV.

Results. A total of 478 proteins and 1350 peptides were identified using high resolution mass spectrometry. The number of proteins in samples after APV therapy, on average, is 12% more than before treatment. An analysis of the distribution of proteins in different groups of patients showed that only half of these proteins (112) are common for all groups of samples and are detected in EVC before, after, and regardless of hydrogen therapy. In addition to the qualitative difference in the protein compositions of CEA in different groups, quantitative changes in the concentration of 36 proteins (mainly structural and protective) were also detected, which together made it possible to reliably distinguish between subgroups before and after treatment. It is important to note that among these proteins there are participants in the processes of blood coagulation (a-1-antitrypsin), mediated by chemokines and cytokines of inflammation,

Conclusion. The use of hydrogen therapy can contribute to the switching of a number of physiological processes, which may affect the success of restorative treatment in PKD. In particular, the obtained results indicate the activation of aerobic synthesis of adenosine triphosphate in mitochondria by hydrogen therapy, which correlates well with the decrease in blood lactate levels detected by laboratory studies in the studied patients. At the same time, it is important that this therapy can inhibit pro-inflammatory activity, negatively affecting the coagulation processes and signaling pathways of integrins and apoptosis, and, in addition, activate protective pathways, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, FAS signaling, and purine metabolism, which can be significant. for effective recovery after suffering COVID-19.

Source: Ryabokon, A. M.; Zakharova, N. V.; Indeikina, M. I.; Kononikhin, A. S.; Shogenova, L. V.; Medvedev, O. S.; Kostinov, M. P.; Svitich, O. A.; Ibaraki, K.; Maehara, H.; Nikolaev, E. N.; Varfolomeev, S. D.; Chuchalin, A. G. Changes in the proteomics of exhaled breath condensate under the influence of inhaled hydrogen in patients with post-COVID syndrome. Cardiovascular Therapy and Prevention (Russian Federation) ; 22(3):50-59, 2023. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369954717_Changes_in_the_proteomics_of_exhaled_breath_condensate_under_the_influence_of_inhaled_hydrogen_in_patients_with_post-COVID_syndrome

Molecular Hydrogen as a Medical Gas for the Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Possible Efficacy Based on a Literature Review

Abstract:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disorder that is characterized by fatigue that persists for more than 6 months, weakness, sleep disturbances, and cognitive dysfunction.

There are multiple possible etiologies for ME/CFS, among which mitochondrial dysfunction plays a major role in abnormal energy metabolism.

The potential of many substances for the treatment of ME/CFS has been examined; however, satisfactory outcomes have not yet been achieved. The development of new substances for curative, not symptomatic, treatments is desired.

Molecular hydrogen (H2) ameliorates mitochondrial dysfunction by scavenging hydroxyl radicals, the most potent oxidant among reactive oxygen species.

Animal experiments and clinical trials reported that H2 exerted ameliorative effects on acute and chronic fatigue. Therefore, we conducted a literature review on the mechanism by which H2 improves acute and chronic fatigue in animals and healthy people and showed that the attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction by H2 may be involved in the ameliorative effects.

Although further clinical trials are needed to determine the efficacy and mechanism of H2 gas in ME/CFS, our literature review suggested that H2 gas may be an effective medical gas for the treatment of ME/CFS.

Source: Shin-ichi Hirano, Yusuke Ichikawa, Bunpei Sato, Yoshiyasu Takefuji and Fumitake Satoh. Molecular Hydrogen as a Medical Gas for the Treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Possible Efficacy Based on a Literature Review. Front. Neurol., 11 April 2022  https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.841310 (Full text)