Melbourne
scientists have revealed how hydrogen is made and used in the human gut. Though
infamous for making flatulence ignite, hydrogen also has a positive role
supporting gut health.
In a study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers from Monash University and Hudson Institute of Medical
Research led an international team that analyzed how microbes control hydrogen
levels in the gut.
Hydrogen gas is naturally produced in the gut when
bacteria ferment undigested carbohydrates from our diets. Some of this gas is
exhaled, much is recycled by other gut bacteria, and the rest exits the body as flatulence.
First author Dr. Caitlin Welsh, who was co-hosted by
Monash University and Hudson Institute of Medical Research, said the results
revealed hydrogen had an even bigger role in gut function than previously
thought.
"Most people release about a liter of gas per day
and half of that is hydrogen. But hydrogen is more than just the gas behind
flatulence—it's a hidden driver of gut health," Dr. Welsh said.
"Our study shows hydrogen shapes the gut microbiome in surprising and varied ways. It helps some beneficial bacteria
thrive in the gut and keeps digestion going."
The researchers hope their discovery will highlight
the need to expand fundamental knowledge of how our gut works so it can be used
to design new treatments for gastrointestinal issues.
Co-senior author Professor Chris Greening, who leads
the One Health Microbiology group at Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery
Institute, said hydrogen was central to gut function.
"Gas production in the gut is a normal process.
Hydrogen is made in large amounts when gut bacteria break down food and is then
used by other microbes for energy," Professor Greening said.
However, excessive hydrogen production can signal gut
problems. Abnormal hydrogen levels are associated with infections, digestive
disorders, and even cancer, and are often measured in breath tests to assess gut health.
"We also saw signs that hydrogen production was disrupted in people with gut disorders, but it's unclear if
this is a cause or consequence of disease," Professor Greening said.
The researchers' work was focused on understanding the
fundamental role of hydrogen in gut function, rather than improving diagnostics
or developing therapies.
Co-senior author Associate Professor Sam Forster, who
leads Hudson Institute's Microbiota and Systems Biology Laboratory and has an
appointment with Monash University's Department of Molecular and Translational
Sciences in the School of Clinical Sciences, said the newly discovered links
could nevertheless help understanding of gut conditions and guide development
of new microbiome-based treatments.
Associate Professor Forster said while emerging
microbiome-based therapies ranged from fecal transplant and probiotics to live
biotherapeutics, we had a long way to go to fully understand how they worked
and how best to use them.
"By understanding the functions of these systems,
it opens up new opportunities for therapeutic interventions, some of which we
haven't even considered," he said.
The study found that a specific enzyme called Group B
[FeFe]-hydrogenase was mainly responsible for making hydrogen in the gut. This
enzyme is found in many gut bacteria and is very active.
The researchers studied bacteria from stool samples
and gut tissue and found that this enzyme helps bacteria grow and produce
hydrogen, especially in the primary health associated groups. They also
discovered that this enzyme works by using a specific chemical reaction
involving iron and another protein called ferredoxin.
As an example, healthy people have a lot of these
enzymes in their gut, but people with Crohn's disease have fewer of them and
more of the other types of hydrogen-producing enzymes.
Source: Hydrogen gas found to play key role in supporting gut health
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