You are probably aware of the importance of blood circulation. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to organs, tissues and cells and carries waste products away from them. Health experts all agree that good blood circulation is a source of health and vitality. It also helps you look and feel healthy, while keeping your mind sharp. 

A group led by Dr. Ishibashi at Haradoi Hospital in Japan reported that 7 ppm super saturated hydrogen water could improve blood circulation and contribute to the maintenance of the healthy cardiovascular system (1). We consider that this is due to the antioxidant property of molecular hydrogen.

Blood Circulation

Blood vessels consists of arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. They have layered structures to withstand high pressure and, at the same time, permit blood to flow smoothly. Veins carry blood back to the heart. They contain valves, which prevent blood from flowing in a wrong direction. Capillaries exist in between arteries and veins and are involved in the exchange of oxygen with carbon dioxide and of nutrients with waste products. 

The diameter of capillaries is as thin as 5 microns. Put arteries, veins and capillaries together, the length of adult’s blood vessels exceeds 100,000 km. This requires the intricate mechanisms to control blood flows and deliver oxygen and nutrients to organs, tissues and cells uninterruptedly. 

Nitric oxide synthases are a family of enzymes, which act as a catalyst for the production of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine. Nitric oxide synthases on the interior surface of blood vessels are called endothelial nitric oxide synthases (eNOS) and play a crucial role in the maintenance of the healthy cardiovascular system by prompting the relaxation of blood vessels or vasodilation in response to the fluctuation in blood pressure. 

You may have heard that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenies of cardiovascular diseases. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NADPH oxidases) are among the major sources of reactive oxygen species in the cardiovascular system. They enzymatically produce superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, which can affect the availability of NO in blood vessels by converting it to peroxynitrite, the most reactive of reactive nitrogen species (RNS). In addition, peroxynitrite can inhibit the activities of eNOS,  

Part of NADPH oxidase-derived hydrogen peroxide is inevitably converted to hydroxyl radical, the most reactive of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The behavior of hydroxyl radical in the cardiovascular system has not been fully understood. However, the indiscriminate cellular damages caused by hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite are a cause for concern in the maintenance of the healthy cardiovascular system.

A group of researchers at Nippon Medical School in Japan published in prestigious medical journal, Nature Medicine, in 2007 that molecular hydrogen might act as a selective antioxidant (2). Specifically, the study suggested that molecular hydrogen might neutralize hydroxyl radical, the most reactive of ROS, as well as peroxynitrite, the most reactive of RNS. Although further studies are required, our observations are not contradictory to their suggestion.

Conclusion

Health experts all agree that good blood circulation is a source of health and vitality. It also helps you look and feel healthy, while keeping your mind sharp. A group led by Dr. Ishibashi at Haradoi Hospital in Japan reported that 7 ppm super saturated hydrogen water could improve blood circulation and contribute to the maintenance of the healthy cardiovascular system.

References

1. Sakai, T. et al., 2014. Consumption of water containing over 3.5 mg of dissolved hydrogen could improve vascular endothelial function. Vascular Health and Risk Management: 10: 591-597. 
2. Ohsawa, M. et al., 2007. Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. Nature Medicine, 13: 688-694. 

Important Notice: The statement in this article is not reviewed by regulatory bodies in any country. There are a number of high-quality articles concerning the symptoms associated with poor blood circulation. Prevention is always better than cure. We recommend you to read those articles and, if any concern, consult your physicians as soon as practical.