Hydrogen: a novel strategy for preventing and treating hearing loss

Sensorineural hearing loss, often caused by irreversible damage to cochlear hair cells, is primarily mediated by oxidative stress triggered by aging, noise exposure, or ototoxic agents. Conventional treatments such as hearing aids or cochlear implants have limitations in accessibility and efficacy. Hydrogen (H 2 ), a selective antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties, has demonstrated protective effects on various organ systems. This review evaluates the therapeutic potential of H 2 in preventing and treating sensorineural hearing loss and aims to inform future research directions. In preclinical models of sensorineural hearing loss, H 2 administration via inhalation, injection, or drinking water reduces reactive oxygen species accumulation, protects cochlear hair cells, and improves functional hearing markers (auditory brainstem response and distortion product otoacoustic emission). Clinical trials have shown that H 2 inhalation improves hearing thresholds in patients with radiotherapy-induced hearing loss and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. No serious side effects have been observed. H 2 's high diffusion capacity and selective reactive oxygen species-scavenging properties support its role as a promising therapeutic for sensorineural hearing loss. While animal data are robust and initial clinical outcomes encouraging, further large-scale studies are warranted to validate efficacy, optimize delivery methods, and establish clinical protocols. JOURNAL/mgres/04.03/01612956-990000000-00088/figure1/v/2026-04-13T130436Z/r/image-tiff.