Hydrogen & Liver

The endogenous H2 is primarily produced by hydrogenase-expressing fermentative bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, H2S and CH4 are by-products of H2 metabolism derived from sulphate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic bacteria, respectively. It should be noticed that hepatocyte can also produce H2S and CH4. The colonic gas mixture, including H2, H2S, CH4, and other bioactive gas molecules produced by gut microbiota, can arrive at the liver by free diffusion or by blood circulation. These gas molecules may influence hepatic redox homeostasis, glucose and lipids homeostasis, immune and inflammatory homeostasis, respectively, together by another one or more. Therefore, H2 may act as a novel bridge between gut and liver and play a central role among the colonic gas mixture in modulating liver homeostasis.