Hydrogen-rich water alleviates constipation by attenuating oxidative stress through the sirtuin1/nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway
Chen KD, Wang KL, Chen C, Zhu YJ, Tang WW, Wang YJ, Chen ZP, He LH, Chen YG, Zhang W. · World J Gastroenterol. 2024;30(20):2709–2725.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
Male Sprague-Dawley rats in a loperamide-induced constipation model.
Hydrogen-rich water by gavage on days 8–14. · Greater than 3 ppm dissolved H₂; 3 mL per administration.
Seven days of H₂-water during a 14-day model protocol.
Several stool, transit, tissue, microbial, metabolomic and oxidative measures favored hydrogen-rich water, while not every measured feature differed.
Small animal study with high-dimensional exploratory analyses; product was supplied to the investigators.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Controlled rat study
Gastrointestinal health
H₂-rich water
Mixed positive preclinical signal.
Functional, tissue, microbiome, metabolomic and biomarker outcomes in rats.
Methods
Male Sprague-Dawley rats in a loperamide-induced constipation model.
18 rats; three groups of six.
Seven days of H₂-water during a 14-day model protocol.
Hydrogen-rich water by gavage on days 8–14.
H₂ dissolved in drinking water.
Greater than 3 ppm dissolved H₂; 3 mL per administration.
Untreated control and loperamide model groups.
Outcomes and reported result
Stool measures, intestinal transit, histology, microbiome, serum metabolites and oxidative markers.
Several stool, transit, tissue, microbial, metabolomic and oxidative measures favored hydrogen-rich water, while not every measured feature differed.
The full article methods, intervention, outcomes, positive and null findings, funding and conflict statements were checked.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Small animal study with high-dimensional exploratory analyses; product was supplied to the investigators.
The reported loperamide rat model only.
SYRCLE animal-study tool — preliminary
Some concerns
Small groups, many outcomes and unclear concealment and assessor blinding.
Sequence generation checked where reported · Allocation concealment generally unclear · Personnel blinding generally unclear · Outcome-assessor blinding generally unclear · No prospectively registered analysis plan identified
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 38855154 · DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i20.2709
A free publisher or repository full article was checked.
Publisher or repository full article and bibliographic record; checked 10 August 2026.
10 August 2026
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