Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40580185›Full record

ArticleMedical gas research2026

Mechanism by which hydrogen-rich water mitigates exercise-induced fatigue: activation of the immunoresponsive gene 1-itaconate/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway.

Yinyin Zhang, Yajing Ying, Xianpeng Zu, Lingling Ding, Xuan Shi, Jing Wang, Xiangtong Li, Chujian Li, Qicheng Zhou, Hui Shen and 3 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Medical gas research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Research Progress of Molecular HDrug design, development and therapy · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Yinyin ZhangDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Yajing YingDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xianpeng ZuSchool of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Lingling DingInternal Medicine III (Nephrology and Endocrinology), Naval Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xuan ShiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Jing WangDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Xiangtong LiDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Chujian LiDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Qicheng ZhouDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Hui ShenDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Hongxia LiDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Hongtao LuDepartment of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Jin ChengInternal Medicine III (Nephrology and Endocrinology), Naval Medical Center, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7737-5781

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Exercise-induced fatigue limits athletic performance. Molecular hydrogen is an effective treatment for relieving fatigue, but the exact mechanism is not clear. In our study, a mouse model of fatigue was established to explore the molecular mechanism by which hydrogen-rich water reduces exercise-induced fatigue. The results showed that hydrogen-rich water improved the motor function of fatigue mice, reduced the levels of fatigue-related biomarkers (blood urea nitrogen, lactate, and creatine kinase), and alleviated gastrocnemius muscle injury. Furthermore, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that hydrogen-rich water upregulated the expression of immune response gene 1 (IRG1), increased the abnormally reduced levels of itaconic acid due to fatigue, and subsequently activated the downstream nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) pathway. Finally, C2C12 cells exposed to an IRG1 inhibitor (IRG1-IN) or 4-octyl itaconic acid (4-OI) were treated with hydrogen-rich water, indicating that hydrogen-rich water effectively upregulated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in cells. In summary, hydrogen-rich water alleviates exercise-induced fatigue by activating the IRG1-itaconic acid/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and inhibiting oxidative stress.

Indexed as

FatigueHeme Oxygenase-1HydrogenNF-E2-Related Factor 2Physical Conditioning, AnimalSuccinatesWaterAnimalsCell LineMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSignal TransductionHeme Oxygenase-1Hydrogenitaconic acidNF-E2-Related Factor 2SuccinatesWaterfatigueheme oxygenase 1hydrogen-rich waterimmunoresponsive gene 1itaconatemetabonomicsmitochondriamusclenuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2oxidative stress

Identifiers

PMID40580185
PMCPMC12318582

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.