Successful treatment of ME/CFS using hydrogen gas: four case reports. 2024

[pattismith]

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

Hirano, Shin-ichi*; Ichikawa, Yusuke; Sato, Bunpei; Takefuji, Yoshiyasu; Satoh, Fumitake

Medical Gas Research 14(2) 84-86, June 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/2045-9912.385441


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.

 

[BrightCandle]

The patient inhaled 6–7% H2 gas (2 L/min, MHG-2000α, MiZ Company Limited, Kamakura, Japan) produced by water electrolysis between June 2021 and November 2021 for 3–5 hours per day.

The severity score decreased from 29 points before treatment to 23 points after four weeks

The other 4 cases didn't do symptom severity. Its a pretty modest gain and not on the primary fatigue after exertion measure, so it doesn't impact PEM.

You would be hard pressed to produce that much Hydrogen gas in a normal electrolysis commercial container that does hydrogen enriched water (or can be breathed in) and that is a lot of hours on it and really they only have 1 case here with 3 others that are just "yeah better" levels of measurement. Definitely not a high quality finding.

 

[Sad Dad]

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.

I'm really skeptical when researchers can't even get the definition of ME/CFS right. These symptoms would not result in someone meeting the ICC criteria.

Perhaps the researchers had issues writing this in English, but it's time to get over talking about ME/CFS as being "neuropsychiatric". Depression is not a symptom of ME/CFS!

Apart from that, and what @BrightCandle said, this is a pretty unscientific study. They tried it on a 58 year old man. After he showed some improvement, they tried it on a 43 year old woman, an 18 year old man and an 18 year old woman.

I'm not saying H2 might not be helpful, just that this is at best the basis for an actual research project.

 

[junkcrap50]

FYI: Paper published by manufacturer, Miz, of hydrogen inhalation machine. However, Miz's products do seem be the most used in other, non-affiliated, hydrogen water studies.

You can buy their machine for ~$2700 through some Japanese sites.

 

[GreenEdge]

Successful treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome using hydrogen gas: four case reports
Hirano, Shin-ichi*; Ichikawa, Yusuke; Sato, Bunpei; Takefuji, Yoshiyasu; Satoh, Fumitake

Why as a gas? All acids contain excess hydrogen atoms.

Why not just add vinegar to water and drink that?

Thank you, I'm already testing it out on myself.