Molecular Hydrogen in Sports Medicine: New Therapeutic Perspectives

S. M. Ostojic

doi:10.1055/s-0034-1395509

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med 2015; 36(04): 273-279
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1395509

Review

Molecular Hydrogen in Sports Medicine: New Therapeutic Perspectives

S. M. Ostojic

¹Center for Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Exercise Physiology Lab, Belgrade, Serbia

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

In the past 2 decades, molecular hydrogen emerged as a novel therapeutic agent, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects demonstrated in plethora of animal disease models and human studies. Beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen in clinical environment are observed especially in oxidative stress-mediated diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, brain stem infarction, rheumatoid arthritis, or neurodegenerative diseases. A number of more recent studies have reported that molecular hydrogen affects cell signal transduction and acts as an alkalizing agent, with these newly identified mechanisms of action having the potential to widen its application in clinical medicine even further. In particular, hydrogen therapy may be an effective and specific innovative treatment for exercise-induced oxidative stress and sports injury, with potential for the improvement of exercise performance. This review will summarize recent research findings regarding the clinical aspects of molecular hydrogen use, emphasizing its application in the field of sports medicine.

Key words

molecular hydrogen - sports medicine - antioxidant - alkalizing - ergogenic

Full Text

References

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