Homeostatic and Endocrine Response Underlying Protective Effects by Molecular Hydrogen

Molecular hydrogen (H2) has multiple properties such as anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, having wide variety of beneficial outcomes. Effects of H2 are often slow to show the effects. The amount of H2 in drinking water is far less than that of inhalation. H2, especially in drinking water, can be used for therapy but rather for maintenance and improvement of the health condition or prevention of disorders. From mechanistic point of view, the problem is that pharmacokinetic of H2 in drinking water is largely unknown, especially in the brain. This chapter focuses the long-term intake of H2 and the mechanism is discussed from homeostatic and endocrinal point of view, trying to understand why H2 has such a wide variety of effects. H2 stimulates the production of gastrointestinal hormone, ghrelin, which stimulates growth hormone releasing, affects hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and also seems to affect hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. Due to these endocrinological effects, H2 has a corrective effect on the neuro-immuno-endocrine system and determines the functioning of the body’s homeostatic system.