Hydrogen therapy may reduce the risks related to radiation-induced oxidative stress in space flight.
Cosmic radiation is known to induce DNA and lipid damage associated with increased oxidative stress and remains a major concern in space travel. Hydrogen, recently discovered as a novel therapeutic medical gas in a variety of biomedical fields, has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. It is expected that space mission activities will increase in coming years both in numbers and duration. It is therefore important to estimate and prevent the risks encountered by astronauts due to oxidative stress prior to developing clinical symptoms of disease. We hypothesize that hydrogen administration to the astronauts by either inhalation or drinking hydrogen-rich water may potentially yield a novel and feasible preventative/therapeutic strategy to prevent radiation-induced adverse events.
Schoenfeld
Michael P
MP
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Propulsion Research and Technology Branch NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA.
Ansari
Rafat R
RR
Zakrajsek
June F
JF
Billiar
Timothy R
TR
Toyoda
Yoshiya
Y
Wink
David A
DA
Nakao
Atsunori
A
D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012306:Risk; D013026:Space Flight
D006859:Hydrogen