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Chinese scientists develop powerful hydrogen therapy that could reverse ageing

  • Researchers say nanotechnology-based implant can deliver slow and steady release of the element for up to a week
  • Peer-reviewed study finds improved bone repair in mice after prolonged treatment, with hopes of one day targeting Alzheimer’s

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Researchers in China have turned to nanotechnology in search of a way to harness the anti-ageing effects of hydrogen more efficiently. Photo: Shutterstock
Victoria Bela
A team of Chinese researchers has developed an anti-ageing hydrogen therapy that could effectively rewind age-related changes in the body and potentially prevent geriatric diseases.
Scientists have known for some time that hydrogen – the lightest and simplest of the elements – can slow or even turn back the clock on the ageing of cells. But turning this knowledge into a viable therapy has been a tough nut to crack.

In a paper published by the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, the Chinese researchers said they have overcome the problem of how to safely deliver a high concentration of hydrogen molecules for long enough to have a therapeutic effect.

Using nanotechnology, the team has developed a scaffold implant that delivers hydrogen 40,000 times more efficiently than other methods – such as drinking hydrogen-rich water or inhaling hydrogen gas.

According to the paper, the implant can deliver a slow and sustained release of hydrogen for up to a week, compared to the 30-minute limit on hydrogen-rich water. The study found the prolonged treatment helped repair bone defects in older mice.

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Hydrogen acts as an anti-inflammatory agent with the ability to scavenge the toxic radicals associated with ageing.

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